


Who's Johnny?

by lil_1337



Series: Who's Johnny [2]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-02
Updated: 2006-10-02
Packaged: 2017-11-06 22:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who you gonna call?  The Winner Foundation Paranormal Investigations team of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Misanagi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misanagi/gifts).



Thanks to [](http://ferretgirl-1124.livejournal.com/profile)[**ferretgirl_1124**](http://ferretgirl-1124.livejournal.com/) for fact checking and for letting me bounce ideas off of her.

A/N: This chapter is research notes and a prologue. While the notes can be skipped if you so choose, the prologue is an important part of the fic itself. The initial section on means and methods will be helpful in understanding the processes, while the other sections are purely informational tangents.

All the websites listed below are free sites and may or may not have pop ups associated with them. Please make sure you have your popup stopper and antivirus set to stun before surfing to any of them.

Means and methods:

For the purposes of this fic, Quatre's empathy has been mutated slightly. He is able to sense the emotions of a place instead of those of a person. There are different types of sensitives; those who see people, those who see a room as it was previously like an overlay, and those who hear voices, among others. The ability to sense residual emotions and energies can be part of other abilities, or one that stands alone.

My research on paranormal investigations was from the following websites: <http://www.ghost-investigators.com/> and <http://www.paranormalghost.com/> . Anything that is incorrect or misleading is purely my fault.

The methodology used in this fic should in no way be considered a blueprint for an actual investigation. Historical information on a site is collected after the investigation, so as not to taint what is seen or felt, or set expectations. Additionally, sensitives are chosen at random for a particular assignment, blindfolded and taken an indirect way to the site so they are not aware of the actual location. Under no circumstances would they ever live at the site they are investigating prior to the investigation. For more accurate description of actual methodology you can check out the sites mentioned above or the local group: <http://lostsoulspi.com/home.shtml>. They are an amazing group of people and run a great tour.

An explanation of what a cold spot is and how they work can be found here: <http://www.assap.org/newsite/htmlfiles/Cold%20spots.html>.  
Places:

The landmarks named around the city are actual places unless otherwise noted. The facts of the fire at Hotel Congress and the subsequent arrest of John Dillinger are true and can be found here: <http://www.hotelcongress.com/hotel/history.php> . The house where the arrest occurred is actually a single-family dwelling but has been converted to a bed and breakfast for the purposes of this fic. In addition, the address has been changed to protect the privacy of the owners.

Information and pictures of San Xavier del Bac mission, usually referred to as simply San Xavier, can be found here: <http://www.sanxaviermission.org/> . The artisans' area, along with the food stand, is separated from the actual mission by a large dirt parking lot. Despite its age, the mission is still an active church and has an attached school.

Reid Park is centrally located in Tucson. It hosts a range of cultural events from Shakespeare in the Park to SCA fighter practice. The Zoo is attached to the main park, which also boasts a duck pond and the baseball stadium that hosts the Colorado Rockies for spring training. The zoo is attached and therefore goes by the name The Reid Park Zoo. For more information on Reid Park Zoo you can go here: <http://www.tucsonzoo.org/>.

The two restaurants referred to in the fic are <http://www.beyondbread.com/> and <http://www.johnnyrockets.com/index2.php>. They are listed in order of appearance and both are highly recommended.

Alcatraz is a now defunct prison built on Alcatraz Island off the coast of San Francisco, California. It was supposedly inescapable because of its location in chilling, white shark infested waters. The prison was closed on March 21, 1963. For more information and a very good historical overview check out: <http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/>

Elmira prison camp was the union equivalent of Andersonville, a confederate prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. Since history is written by the victors Elmira is sadly less known or acknowledged as part of the history of that time period. For more information on Elmira, you can look here: <http://www.civilwarhistory.com/ElmiraPrison/Elmira.htm>.

 

People:

For more information on John Dillinger and his gang, the following two sites have a good overview. <http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/famcases/dillinger/dillinger.htm> and <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger>.

Robert Crais writes mystery/suspense novels. Anyone who liked Nero Wolfe, and especially his intrepid assistant Archie Goodwin, should check him out. The bulk of his work is Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, but he does have other stand alone novels. For more information on him and his works check out his website at: <http://www.robertcrais.com/> . He's not too hard on the eyes either.

The Tucson Sidewinders are a minor league baseball team associated with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their home stadium is Tucson Electric Park. More information can be found here: <http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/index.jsp?sid=t549>  
Based out of Phoenix, about two hours up the freeway from Tucson, the Arizona Diamondbacks home stadium is Bank One Ballpark aka BOB. They are the only major league Baseball team in the state. More information can be found here: <http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=ari>.

Things:

EMF meter or Electromagnetic Field Radiation Tester registers the amount of background radiation at any given time and is carried as a handheld during an investigation. It is considered standard equipment for any paranormal investigator. A picture of it can be seen here: <http://www.ghost-investigators.com/equipment/equipment.php?equip_num=54>

Aloe Vera is a type of cactus that grows in the American southwest. It is used for everything from treating burns to stomachaches when brewed as a tea. The gel can be found in most major department stores in the US. For more information you can go here: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe>.

My understanding of gymnastics, moves, and equipment is rudimentary at best based on a year of high school physical education, and a couple of classes at parks and recreation for the kid. The moves mentioned can be found with a video that demonstrates them: <http://www.gymnasticsrevolution.com/GymInteractive-Bars-StrideCircle.htm> . The exception is the handspring mount, which I invented for the purposes of this fic.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tucson, Arizona, January 24th, 1970

The old man sat in his usual spot, the old wooden rocking chair in front of the window. In the distance the sun was just beginning to lighten the sky, the undersides of the low gray clouds taking on a pale pink tint even as they conspired to give the illusion it was earlier than the clock on the bedside table reported. Another day was dawning and soon the world would waken and begin its usual routine. Life went on and people kept moving forward. That is for everyone, but him.

The doctor had given him six months, a nice round number, even though they both knew it was a generous assessment. It was closer to three, but that was fine. He'd had enough time to put his affairs in order and do a few of the things he'd always wanted to do before he died. He'd never get the chance to climb Mt. Everest or see the Atlantic Ocean, but really, it didn't matter. He was at peace with himself and the life he'd led. He wasn't rushing towards the end, but neither was he dragging his feet.

"I did good, like you said," he whispered hoarsely, voice roughened from years of unfiltered cigarettes and working outside in all kinds of weather.

Outside the window, the sun made its slow movement upwards, light spreading out to reveal the world below. His time would be here soon. Straining his eyes, he tried to make out the details his memories showed him crystal clear in his head. The house was only two down, but it was still masked in shadow that defied the efforts of his tired eyes.

The memories came now as they always did when he let himself think about the days when as a much younger man he first called this house home. Memories of being held and cherished while he and his lover dreamed about their future. Of how one day they would leave Tucson and go some place where they could be together. Memories of the night…

No, he wouldn't think about Johnny's death. Not now. He wanted to remember his life, how it had been before Johnny was taken from him. Johnny had gone ahead to prepare, that was what he'd always done. Walked just a little in front to clear the path and make the way easier.

"Do good."

That's the last thing Johnny had said to him, a young man lost and wandering, unsure of everything, but his love for the man who has been his best friend since elementary school.

"Do good."

He had; he'd pulled his life together, becoming a cop and then a detective. He'd made it his life's work to bring justice to the world. Once again following in Johnny's footsteps. There had been comfort in that. A sense of carrying on the work left undone because of a foiled robbery and a stray bullet.

There'd been no other lovers, no men to warm his bed through the cold nights. He'd had offers of course. Carefully coached in discrete language to allow denial if needed, but all of them had been brushed aside with a gentle smile and a shake of his head. The one man he wanted and loved was gone. He had his family, his job, and his memories. That was enough. Instead of losing himself in grief and pain he chose to move forward, thankful for the time he had been blessed with. So many people never had the few moments of happiness he'd found.

"I did good," he whispered again to the rising sun.

A bout of coughing shook his fragile frame and he closed his eyes, struggling to breathe. Not yet, soon, but not yet. He opened his eyes slowly, smiling as the little house came into view. The place where he'd lost his virginity and gained so much in return.

The light was spreading; infusing the world with pale yellow sunlight that seemed as aged and worn as he felt. As the shadows withdrew he could see Johnny standing on the stoop. Bright green eyes shone with love and pride as he beckoned with a crooked finger.

He relaxed, letting his hands rest on the afghan covering his lap. It would be all right now. They would be together again, the way it was meant to be.

"I'm coming."

Half a whisper riding on a final breath hung in the air to mark his passing. Still there a second after the man was already enfolded in the arms of his lover.


	2. Chapter 2

_Location Information:  
Type: Bed and Breakfast  
Location Title: The Hideout   
Address: 146 E. Second Street   
City/State: Tucson, Arizona_

_Location History:  
The hideout is a six bedroom bed and breakfast in Tucson, Arizona. It was originally build as a single family dwelling and converted in July of 2004. The house was built in 1923 and is located in the Sam Hughes neighborhood near the University of Arizona. The structure was owned by a single family line until it was purchased by its current owners in January of 2004. There have been no signification additions or modifications to the building since its original construction._

_Additional Notes:  
The structure is co-owned by Trowa Barton and Duo Maxwell who also run the bed and breakfast. There have been reports of an elderly man seen by multiple witnesses in one of the bedrooms. The man appears benevolent and is seen standing in front of the window. Witnesses appear to be credible with no reported history of mental illness in either themselves or their families. _

_Investigation Request Status: Granted_

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thursday, July 27th, 2006

It was just before midnight when they hit the city limits of Tucson, maneuvering effortless through the unending construction zone on the outskirts of town. The lateness of the hour did nothing to ease the heat coming up off the asphalt in almost physical waves but at least the sun had set, taking it with it the white hot light that burned through Quatre's sunglasses. Fortunately the van was air conditioned to protect the equipment, but Quatre could still feet the back of his shirt sticking to his sweaty skin as he shifted in his seat, his back and neck beginning to feel the effects of being on the road all day. He was hot and tired, ready for a cool shower and a good night's sleep. He'd been driving for about five hours now, since Flagstaff where they'd stopped for dinner and to trade off drivers. Heero had gone to nap in the back and was joined by Wufei and Relena about the time they passed the exit for Lake Pleasant outside of Phoenix. 

Lightning flashed, illuminating the road ahead and making the freeway signs slightly more visible than the beams from the van's headlights. Quatre glanced at the directions he written down that morning to verify that Speedway was indeed the exit he was looking for. Smoothly he changed lanes, and then eased the van down the off ramp. Pulling into the left turn lane, he rolled to a stop. Taking advantage of the opportunity to stretch and roll his neck. 

This part of town was older than what he'd glimpsed briefly from the freeway, but that wasn't surprising. Most of the places he investigated were. Taking advantage of the light traffic due to the lateness of the hour, he looked around. While on some level people where the same no matter where they lived each town still had a feel and a flavor that belonged only to it. 

Getting a sense of the area he was in was something Quatre did almost instinctively now. It was part of what made him such a good paranormal investigator. That, coupled with the fact that he had been doing it since he was able to walk. First as a member of his father's team then, when he turned eighteen almost three years ago, he'd created a team of his own. It had been slow going because of school, but college came first, that was the rule, and Quatre was not going to argue about it. Investigations might be the family passion, but running the business was what allowed them to indulge in it. 

Letting the van roll to a stop at the next light, Quatre took the time to look over the directions again. Right on Park to Second Street, then another right. When the light changed, he made a careful right turn onto a smaller street. To his left was a row of dormitories not too different from the one he had pulled away from almost two months ago. 

Without thinking, his eyes went to the rearview mirror and he smiled at what little he could see of Heero's sleeping form. Their relationship had been short lived, both realizing quickly that the affection they felt was not going to be enough to smooth over the differences in what they needed in a partner. Fortunately they had been able to make the transition to friends without much of a struggle. With Heero's computer skills and technical knowledge he was the perfect addition to a team that was lacking in someone to handle that part of the job. Quatre smirked to himself. The only way to ensnare a computer science major was with the promise of latest gadgets. Good coffee didn't hurt as an extra incentive either. 

Quatre glanced up at the street sign and signaled for a right turn before easing the van around the corner and onto another narrow street, this one a mix of residential and small businesses. There was another crack of thunder and he said a quick please that the storm would hold off until he found The Hideout, a little bed and breakfast that was the team's destination for this part of their trek. 

Two more turns and a bump over what Quatre guessed were trolley tracks. Having spent the previous summer in San Francisco doing work at Alcatraz, he was more familiar with the sensation than he wanted to be. He shivered, remembering the dank, oppressive feel of the prison. The residual emotions were so strong they had threatened to suffocate him. There were so many lost souls still wandering there. Some that would eventually fade; others that were too strong to ever find any rest. The whole experience had been disheartening and depressive. So much so that when his father had announced a desire to return this summer, Quatre had gladly jumped at the chance to step in and do the investigation requests that were still outstanding. 

The plan for The Hideout was similar to the other investigations they had done to this point. They would take a full day tomorrow to rest and relax. Travel fatigue and fuzzy minds would only make them susceptible to suggestions. That put them to Saturday. Two days to get the feel of the place and do interviews. Sunday, they would set up the equipment and do the full formal investigation of the place. Follow up interviews on Monday and tying up any loose ends that were left. They could be back on the road by Tuesday, barring any major problems. 

This was the furthest point on the trip and while it had been an experience he wouldn't have traded, Quatre was eager to point the van towards home. Classes were due to start in a little over a month and he was looking forward to having a few weeks to just hang out and relax before buckling down to another school year. 

Lightning stabbed the sky, bright enough to burn an afterimage onto his retinas. A large drop of rain hit the windshield followed by another. He accelerated a little, still holding out some hope of outracing the storm. Another bolt of lightning, this time followed so closely by thunder that it seemed to be almost simultaneous. As if on cue, the rain hit. Not the gentle summer rain he was expecting, but something more fierce, almost primal. He'd heard the term deluge before, but this was the first time he'd ever truly experienced it. Visibility dropped to almost nil in the space of a few seconds and he let off the gas, easing down on the brake at the same time to slow the van's progress. 

The cool of the rain mixed with the heat of the air and the windshield of the van began to fog over, limiting Quatre's vision even more. Switching to high beams even though he was in a residential area, Quatre felt around next to him for the long sleeved over shirt he'd shed on the drive down the mountain from Flagstaff. His hand touched soft cotton and he swiped at the windshield, clearing a space. Carefully, he navigated through the small streams that were now flowing down the street. More thunder and lightning, this time accompanied by wind that made the van sway, threatening to yank the wheel from his hands. 

As suddenly as it had started, the rain stopped. No warning or easing off; just one minute it was falling in almost solid sheets and the next, nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, Quatre took one last swipe at the windshield and tossed the shirt on the seat next to him before flipping the lights back to low beam. 

The headlights of the van caught and held on a sign a couple of houses farther down the street. It was decorated with what appeared to be gangsters of the thirties and forties and the words 'The Hideout' were clearly printed across it in flowing letters. Quatre turned into the drive and shut off the engine. 

They had arrived. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Trowa yawned and stretched, unwinding his legs from under him. He should have been in bed hours ago, since his first class was in about eight hours and he had things to be before he left for campus. He'd tried to sleep, but between the oppressive feel of the air and the knowledge that when their guests arrived he would probably wake up he'd spent an hour tossing and turning before deciding he'd be making better use of his time studying. It couldn't hurt to take one last look over his notes before the exam tomorrow. 

He'd offered to take over for Duo so his friend could catch a few hours of rest, but Duo was in the middle of a drawing and just waved him away. The piece was a commission for one of the local businesses and Duo had been toying with ideas for a few days. Doing a rough sketch of each and then letting the owner of the small restaurant decide which one he wanted. 

Scanning chapter ten in his cultural anthropology text, Trowa blinked hard as headlights swept across the front window before going out. "They're here." He stood, leaving the book on the couch where he'd been sitting. 

Duo nodded, did a few more strokes then set his pencil down. Carefully, he moved the drawing back on the desk and closed the roll top so it was concealed. Grinning, he walked to the door, leaving it open for Trowa to follow. It was cooler outside after the rain, but Trowa could still feel some of the day's heat on the bottoms of his feet as it leeched up through the walkway. 

Parked in the driveway was a white van. It was possibly a year or two old and well cared for. There were no markings on it to indicate affiliation with any group, but that didn't surprise Trowa. Putting 'Winner Foundation' or 'Paranormal Investigations' on the side of your vehicle was the equivalent of putting a bull's-eye on the side. 

The driver, a tall slender blond stepped out, hand extended, with a bright smile on his face. There was weariness in his eyes, but nothing that wouldn't be resolved by a good night's sleep. Trowa noticed the way that he moved, confident and sure of himself despite being in strange surroundings. Duo took the man's hand and shook it. 

"Duo Maxwell and that's Trowa." Duo waved vaguely in Trowa's direction. Trowa stepped forward and nodded, his hands remaining where he had shoved them in his pockets." 

The blond nodded back and favored Trowa with a smile that lit up the darkness brighter than the lightning strikes earlier. "Quatre Winner." 

Duo nodded then grinned, the one that made Trowa cringe in anticipation. "Right, the Ghostbusters." 

Quatre's smile dimmed considerably and when he spoke there was a hint of ice in his tone. "No, the Winner Foundation Paranormal Investigations team. If you're expecting floating green phantasms you're going to be extremely disappointed." 

Duo raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No offense meant, buddy. Just a little joke." 

The tension in Quatre's shoulders relaxed a little as did the tightness in his smile. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. I've been hearing that joke as long as I've been doing this. Most people don't realize how insulting it is. Ghostbusters is about as close to what we do as Jaws is to being a documentary on shark behavior." 

Trowa smirked. This guy could certainly hold his own that was for sure. While Trowa wasn't sure how he felt about paranormal investigations, he was opened minded enough to at least watch and see. This whole idea had been Duo's brainchild after several of the guests and Duo himself had seen a figure in one of the rooms. They already had the draw that The Hideout was where John Dillinger and his gang were arrested after the Hotel Congress, where the members of his gang had been staying, caught fire. But if they could advertise that it was determined to be haunted as well, that would hopefully bring in more guests. 

"I'm sorry we're later than anticipated." Quatre changed the subject, attempting to bring them back on more comfortable ground. "We hit more traffic in Phoenix than I had expected." 

"Stopped dead at Seventh street right?" 

Quatre nodded, surprised. "Yeah, how did you know?" 

"Dbacks got their asses kicked tonight." Seeing Quatre open his mouth to ask, Duo cut him off. "The Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona's answer to pro baseball. I-10 turns into a parking lot before and after every game."

"Arizona's answer to /major league/baseball." Trowa's smirk had turned into a glare that was directed at his friend. He knew he shouldn't let Duo yank his chain and yet, no matter how hard he tired to let it go, it always pissed him off. "The Sidewinders are pro even if they're minor league." 

Duo grinned, the look on his face a little too innocent. "Oh, yeah. I always forget them because you know; they're /minor league/ and all." Ignoring Trowa, he leaned forward as if imparting a secret to Quatre and lowered his voice. "He gets so touchy. Just because he played first base for them for one season, you'd think he owed them something."

"Shut up, Duo." Trowa punched him in the arm. "I'm sure Quatre's not interested in hearing about my wanna be baseball career." 

Quatre smiled another one of those high beam smiles at him and tilted his head. "Actually, I am interested. What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" 

Trowa shrugged. "The usual. Local boy gets recruited out of high school, plays for one season, and can't handle the pressure." 

"Oh." Embarrassment and concern mixed on Quatre's face. "I'm sorry to hear it." 

"Don't be." It was Duo's turn to punch Trowa and roll his eyes. "He feeds that load of crap to everyone. The Dbacks were going to bring him up from the Sidewinders when he bailed. He got a full ride scholarship to the U through the gymnastics program and quit to go to school." 

This time the eye Quatre turned on Trowa was more appraising, as if he was trying to determine the truth of the situation by staring at Trowa's knees. Behind them there was a click and one of the back doors of the van swung open. Quatre's eyes slowly rose back up to meet Duo's amused ones. 

"I think my associates are awake." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Heero rolled over and yawned. The first thing he noticed was that the van had stopped moving. The second was that the air was hotter and heavier than when he had fallen asleep. He looked over to where Wufei and Relena lay on a sleeping bag spread out on the floor of the van. They weren't wrapped around each other and yet the positioning of their bodies spoke of intimacy. 

He sighed as he climbed to his feet; he missed that, the feeling of being close to someone. Not that he regretted the decision he and Quatre had made to break off their relationship. It had saved the friendship and even when he was feeling morose, he knew that they were not meant to be together. Having the same sexual preference and a mutual weakness for Batman comics was not enough to base a relationship on. Quatre needed someone to ground him and Heero's intensity worked against that. On the other side, Heero needed someone who didn't take himself so seriously and when Quatre was focused, nothing else existed in the world. 

With the toe of his shoe, he nudged Relena and then Wufei, letting them know it was time to get up. Wufei muttered something then sat up and ran his hand across his slicked back hair, making sure that his customary ponytail was still in place. Relena shook her head and then reached for Heero. Allowing him to gently help her to her feet. 

Ducking a bit to avoid the low ceiling of the van, Heero pushed open the back door in time to hear Quatre speak. He stepped out and held the door while Relena, and then Wufei, climbed out behind him. Outside he noticed that the trees were still dripping even as the damp patches of cement and asphalt were rapidly disappearing. He wrinkled his nose; there was a scent on the air that he didn't recognize. Part of it was dirt, not the richness of soil, but the dirt that collected on windowsills and coated knickknacks. Overlaying it was something else, a plant he suspected, but one with an odor that was part greenery and part something with more tang. 

"It's Creosote." 

Heero's eyes shifted to the young man standing next to Quatre, taking in the long braid that hung down his back and the casual way he held himself. Feeling the damp heat soaking into his heavy jeans Heero envied the other man his light t-shirt and loose shorts. 

"Duo Maxwell." Duo offered his hand and Heero was pleased to find that the handshake was firm, but with none of the fake posturing that seemed so common among men meeting for the first time. 

"Heero Yuy." He gestured to Relena and then Wufei in turn. "Relena Dorlian and Chang Wufei." 

Duo shook hands with each in turn then his attention returned to Heero. Gesturing to the man with the strange hair standing next Quatre, he grinned. "That's Trowa." 

There was more handshaking and nods of acknowledgement. When the introductions were finished, Duo returned to his earlier comment. "The scent? It's Creosote. It’s a bush that's native to this area." 

Heero nodded and filed away the name with a mental note to look up further information online. As the member of the team in charge of calibration of the equipment and analysis of the readouts, it was his responsibility to know all of the external elements that might impact the readings in any way. This was his first trip to the southwest and he'd been putting in a lot of hours studying weather patterns and magnetic fields to make sure he knew exactly what he was dealing with. 

His eyes scanned the street and surrounding area before again settling on Duo, noting the slight frown on his face and the way he was studying Relena. He seemed curious, but there was something else too. Relena was a very attractive woman, but she was happily committed to Wufei. For some reason the idea that this man he just met might be attracted to her, bothered Heero. He cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow, the question, though unspoken, hung in the air. 

Duo blushed and ran a hand through his messy bangs. "Sorry if I was staring. The letter we got said there would only be three of you guys. We've got four rooms, but the instructions said not to put anyone in the room that you'd be checking out." Pausing, he grinned then waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "I can bunk with Trowa for a couple of days, that is if you don't mind sleeping in my room, Relena." 

Heero didn't even try to fight the smirk he felt tugging the corner of his lips when Wufei stepped closer to Relena, wrapping an arm around her waist in a clear statement of 'she's with me.' "We can share." 

Relena smiled and nodded her agreement before leaning her head against Wufei's shoulder. "I wouldn't want to put anyone out." 

"No problem." Duo turned slightly towards Trowa and grinned. "I think we should invite our guests in. They look rode hard and put up wet." 

"We need to bring in the equipment first." Despite Quatre's nod, Heero elaborated. "It can get up to over two hundred degrees in a closed vehicle once the sun comes up. Electronics are heat sensitive." 

He walked back around to the rear of the van and started handing out duffle bags filled with equipment to whoever was closest, mentally cataloguing who had what while appearing to be completely unaware. When the back was devoid of anything but two sleeping bags, and each person was carrying multiple personal and equipment bags, he closed and locked the door before nodding at Trowa to lead the way.

The house was smaller than Heero expected, but then that was often the case with homes in the older parts of most towns. The walls were made of mud colored bricks. Adobe. The word surfaced in his memory, another product of his research. It was made from a mixture of sandy clay and straw then formed into bricks and baked in the sun. The large picture windows in the front must have been a recent addition as traditional homes were made with small windows to limit the amount of heat and light that came into the structure.

Inside, he was greeted with a blast of cooled air that made him shiver, the sweat on his arms and face already starting to dry, leaving him feeling sticky and uncomfortable. The main room was part living room part reception area, and was comfortable in a lived in way. Against one wall was a wooden roll top desk that Heero was willing to bet housed a computer for taking reservations and keeping track of expenses. 

The rest of the furniture was arranged in an organized clutter that, if you looked for a pattern, was arranged in such a way as to enhance contact between the people using it. No doubt set up that way to encourage social interaction. He nodded approval as they moved between the couches towards the hallway at the far end of the room. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the dining room, noting the large wooden table and beyond it a closed door that most likely led to the kitchen. 

The hallway was narrow and decorated with framed pencil drawings of famous gangsters of the thirties and forties. They were in various poses, ranging from fierce and intimidating to borderline caricatures. There was a similarity of style though that indicated they had all been drawn by the same artist. Heero filed this information away to be explored further in the morning. 

His room, when he was shown to it, contained a bed, a desk and an overstuffed chair for reading or relaxing. He set down his duffle, and the equipment bags on the floor before relieving the others of their extra burdens. The gear was his responsibility and with a few exceptions such as Relena's cameras, he kept them under his watchful eye.

Tiredness settled over him and Heero decided that the shower could wait until the morning. Stripping down to his boxers, he laid down on the bed, sinking into the softness of the mattress with a sigh. Closing his eyes he, did a mental once over of his to do list before drifting into a light sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Wufei looked up from the book he was reading when Relena stepped into the room. Her hair was still wet from the shower and it contrasted nicely with the pale blue towel she was using to dry it. She set the towel on the closest chair then sat down on the bed next to him, running her fingers through the strands in an attempt to untangle them. "I could go home if you'd rather." She smiled, her features softening in the process. "I won't be upset if you'd prefer this to be a guys' summer."

He shook his head and pulled her into his arms, nuzzling the side of her face. "I want you to stay." 

It has been a hell of a surprise when she'd called him a week ago to say that her summer internship hadn't worked out quite the way she's planned, and she would be able to meet them if the invitation to do photography was still open. 

Part of him was glad to see her, not just the lower part either, and part of him missed it being just the guys doing their thing. But then time and life moved forward, that was what it was supposed to do. Boys grew to men and men took on other responsibilities and relationships in their lives. 

He and Quatre had been friends literally since the day Wufei was born, exactly two months to day after Quatre. Quatre's mother had died in childbirth and Mrs. Chang had taken it upon herself, as her best friend, to fill the mother role for him as much as her own son. Somewhere in the attic were old videotapes of Wufei learning to walk by hanging onto a barely toddling Quatre.

Wufei had been there when Quatre had lost his first tooth. Patting his arm consolingly as Mr. Winner tugged on it, so it fell into his hand. The next day they'd split an ice cream cone that Quatre had bought with the bounty from the tooth fairy. 

That was how it had been through Elementary and Junior High. Their lives inseparably woven together, two separate threads creating one picture. When Quatre had realized he was gay the first person he'd told was Wufei. In exchange for the honor of the confidence Wufei had held Quatre's hand, literally and figuratively, through telling first   
Mr. Winner, and then the Wufei's parents. 

Paranormal investigations were as much a part of his life as it was Quatre's. Wufei had started a year older, but only because his mother had objected at the beginning. At first they had carried equipment and generally stayed out from underfoot. Observing and learning what it was all about. As they grew older, the boys began to take on a more active role. 

When Quatre turned thirteen things began to change. Without any real warning Quatre's ability as a sensitive manifested in a way that frightened them both. Quatre had started working with Rashid, another sensitive, who taught him meditation techniques and ways to control his talent. It seemed natural for Wufei to fall into the role of Quatre's monitor, guiding and protecting Quatre whenever they were on an investigation. Wufei's responsibilities had expanded to include other aspects, but always his primary focus was Quatre and his physical and emotional safety. 

His and Quatre's lives were and always would be bound together first by chance, and then by choice, but that didn't mean Wufei didn't want more. They loved each other, brothers in all but the biological sense. Family was a foundation, something that gave you support and a springboard off of to move out into the world. Not something that held you back or confined you. 

Pulling himself back to the present, Wufei kissed Relena softly and smiled at her. "/We/ want you to stay. You're part of this now." He kissed her again; the softness of her lips on his a tempting distraction from the tiredness that had seeped into his bones. "We can use a photographer. Its one less thing I need to worry about." 

He laid back on the bed, bringing her with him, his hands tracing her curves. They'd been dating for almost three years and though Relena was aware of their work as paranormal investigators, even going along to observe, but she'd never been an active part of the team before. Until this summer he had tried to keep the parts of his life separate and compartmentalized, but he was finding that the more he had let her in, the more the lines had burred until they seemed to disappear. 

It was disturbing and messy, but also heady and exhilarating. Rather like the woman herself. He yawned then smiled as it triggered one from Relena. "Time to sleep now. We can discuss this more in the morning." 

Carefully, he reached across her to turn off the lamp on the bedside table then shifted to find a comfortable spot that allowed them both enough room. He hadn't been pleased when he thought Duo was looking her over, and he was less pleased with his own reaction. It was something he'd need to think about. He yawned again, feeling the heaviness of sleep descending. But he could think about it in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Friday 28th July 2006

The heat coming through the blinds contrasted with the cool air blowing over him as Quatre woke the next morning. According to the clock on the bedside table it was only a few minutes past seven, but it felt more like mid afternoon. He sat up and stretched, feeling the tightness in his shoulders from last night starting to ease. The bed was comfortable and he was tempted to roll over and go back to sleep for a few hours when a tantalizing smell wafted through the door, followed almost immediately by the sound of his stomach rumbling.

He threw back the covers and quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a light t-shirt. Opting to go barefoot since he was not planning to leave the building. The house was much lighter with the sun and Quatre stopped to study the drawings on the hallway wall. Smiling at the playful style that stealthily hid hints of something darker underneath. Making a mental note to ask who the artist was, as they were all signed Deathscythe in a sprawling hand, he walked down the hall and made a left through the main room into the dining area. 

Heero, Relena and Wufei were seated at the table; already well into their meals. With a cheerful good morning, Quatre sat down and sniffed the air appreciatively. "Breakfast smells wonderful." 

Duo walked through the swinging door from the kitchen as Quatre took his seat. "Morning. I was about to come and see if you wanted breakfast. Trowa's finishing up now and he gets cranky if he has to cook after he's cleaned the kitchen. What can we get you?" 

"I'm sorry; I must have been more tired than I thought." Quatre blushed slightly. "I would love a cup of coffee." 

"Can do. I'll get that while you think about what you want to eat." 

Leaning back in his chair, Quatre studied what his friends were eating. "What's on the menu?" Leaning in and lowering his voice he added. "How is it?"

"As good as your nose leads you to expect." Wufei finished off the last bite of his waffle and washed it down with a drink of his coffee. 

Setting a mug of coffee along with a container of milk and one of sugar in front of Quatre, Duo grinned. "Trowa can cook. He can't fold sheets for a damn, but he can cook." He paused then considered. "Well, actually he can cook /breakfast/. Other things are more hit and miss. His cheese enchiladas will make you weep with joy, but don't let him near a hamburger. It's a crime what he does to them." 

"What would you recommend?" Quatre couldn't help but smile back at Duo's infectious grin.

"The cinnamon French toast is always a good bet, but he seems to be in rare form for omelets today." Duo gestured towards Relena and Heero's plates. 

"A Denver omelet then. Easy on the onions, please." 

"You got it." 

Quatre took a sip of his coffee and was pleased to find that it also lived up to what his nose told him. The brew was dark and rich, but still smooth. Leaning back to enjoy his coffee, Quatre let his eyes roam the room. His gaze pulled to the large drawing that was the centerpiece of the room. It depicted the arrest of John Dillinger and his gang as it occurred outside the house back in 1934.

On a whim, Quatre got up from the table and walked over to get a closer look at it. He sipped his coffee, studying both the contents of the picture and the style of the artist. It had the same playful feel that the ones in the hallway did, though here and there, hidden in the background, were details that were darker. Hints that while John Dillinger might have been a popular folk legend in his time, he was also a violent and dangerous man. 

Checking the corner, Quatre was not surprised to find the same signature gracing it as all the others. Tapping his fingers on the coffee mug, he pursed his lips thoughtfully before returning to his seat at the table. 

Soon after, Duo emerged from the kitchen, plate in hand. He set it in front of Quatre, before setting himself in the chair next to Heero. "Tro'll be out in a few minutes. He's wiping down the stove." 

Quatre eyed the large omelet and helping of hash browns that covered his plate. As a general rule he was a light eater and this looked like it would be enough for at least two meals. With a sense of anticipation he cut into the omelet, his nose twitching at the savory smells that his fork released. Closing his eyes as he chewed, he was tantalized by the way the ham and cheese blended with the peppers. There was just a hint of onion, enough to give flavor without overwhelming the rest of the tastes. 

He opened his eyes to four faces with matching amused expressions. His eyes flickered from face to face and he shifted in his seat. "What?" Wondering if he had something on his face, Quatre picked up his napkin, wiping his face clean of imaginary crumbs.

Smirking, Wufei eyed him and took a drink of his coffee. "We were waiting for the moan." 

Feeling the heat infusing his face, Quatre took another bite chewing quickly. "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

Winking at Wufei, Duo picked up the line of teasing. "The last time I saw a face like that it was accompanied by 'Oh God' and 'make me come you big stud.'"

Quatre choked, his eyes going wide. Ignoring the snickers and smug grins he lowered his head and began to eat. Focusing strictly on his food. The sound of the swinging door caused him to look up as Trowa walked through holding a mug of coffee in one hand. Quatre swallowed what he was chewing and smiled. "This is very good. One of the best omelets I've ever had. Thank you."

Duo made a coughing noise that sounded distinctly as if he was saying orgasmic and the rest of the group started to laugh. Trowa raised an eyebrow, but did not comment choosing instead to sit in the chair next to Quatre, stretching out his legs in front of him. "What's the plan for today?" 

"Nothing really." Wufei wrapped an arm around Relena, toying with her hair. "We make a habit of taking a day to relax. Fatigue can cause you to misread instruments and make your mind play tricks. It is one of the external conditions we can control." 

"I have equipment to check." Heero finished off his juice and set the glass down. "One of the Geiger counters was giving some anomalous readings at the last site and I want to check it out. I also have pictures to analyze." 

Duo opened his mouth to say something and Quatre quickly cut him off. "That's how Heero relaxes." 

Heero smirked, the corners of his mouth twitching a bit. "I'm a geek. Its what we do. Is there a store close by where I can buy batteries? We're down in stock and I want to replenish it." 

Duo nodded. "There's a battery store up at Speedway and Wilmot. I could run you up there once you know what you need." 

"That would be fine, thank you." Heero stood, pushing his chair. "I'm going to get started. If you'll excuse me?" 

Trowa checked his watch and sighed. "I need to go. I have class in a few minutes. I've got a test or I would just skip it," he offered by way of explanation. "I'll be back about two; if you need anything before that make Duo get off his lazy butt and help." 

"Wufei's graciously offered to take to me to see the mission. I've seen pictures and always wanted to photograph it myself." Relena smiled. "I'm excited about finally getting a chance to see it in person." 

"It's worth seeing, especially if you like history. Make sure you go across the lot to the artisans' area. There's a booth there where they make frybread. It's part of the whole experience." As if as an afterthought he added; "make sure you take water bottles with you. There's some in the fridge you're welcome to. Wear hats if you have them and put on sunscreen especially if you're going to be outside taking pictures. Doesn't take long to burn around here." 

"Thanks. We'll do that." Wufei stood and offered Relena his hand, which she took, rising gracefully from her chair. Wufei then turned to Quatre and put out his other hand. "I need to borrow the car keys, Dad." 

Rolling his eyes, Quatre shook his head. "They're in my room on the table by the bed. Do you need an advance on your allowance too?" 

Wufei made a show of checking his wallet and shook his head. "I think I have that covered, but thanks for the offer." 

"Make sure you fill it up and remember just because all the other kids are doing it doesn't mean it's right." Wufei snorted then laughed out loud as Quatre called after him. "Don't make a mess in the van and be sure to use protection. I'm too young to be a grandfather." 

"Looks like it's just you and me for a while." Duo grinned as he watched Wufei and Relena disappear around the corner. "How can we entertain you?" 

"I'd like to know more about the artist that did all of these drawings. He's very talented." 

"He's a local guy. No one you'd know." Duo appeared to dismiss the subject even though Quatre could see from the way Duo's fingers tightened on his mug he wasn't as casual about it as he appeared. 

"There are a lot of levels to his work. From what I've seen he's someone I'd like to know. Is it likely I'll get lucky and have a chance to meet him before I leave?" 

Duo blushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Maybe. I might be persuaded to introduce you. That is if I decide I like you." The humor was gone from Duo's face, replaced with something unfathomable. "I'm pretty careful about who I introduce him to." 

"As well you should be. Talent should be nurtured and protected from those who might want to exploit it. If you'll excuse me?" Duo waved him away and Quatre rose, slowly walking back towards his room. The new Robert Crais novel was calling his name and it would be impolite not to respond. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The moment he stepped outside, Heero was glad Duo had warned him to make sure he wore sunglasses. It was like walking into a solid wall of heat and light. Trying to put the feeling into an experiential perceptive, the only thing he could compare it to was looking into a photographer's light. Not one of modern ones but the old fashioned kind that put off as much heat as they did light. They earned their reputation as heat lamps honestly. 

He had a moment of appreciation and understanding for why both Duo and Trowa seemed to move at a much more leisurely pace than the people he knew. Initially he'd put it down to personality, but he felt the need to revisit that assumption, as there appeared to be more behind it. Hurried movement in this environment would be taxing very quickly. 

Noting that the van was nowhere in sight, Heero frowned. It had been hours since Wufei and Relena had left on their sight seeing excursion. Normally he wouldn't have given it a second thought, but he knew his cousin well enough to know she was likely to let her enthusiasm cause her to push safety limits. Hopefully, Wufei was keeping watch or they would be having another discussion about Heero's expectations for how Relena should be cared for. 

As Duo backed out of the driveway, Heero fastened his seatbelt and calculated the dimensions of the carport coming up half a car width short. Curious, he looked at the driver. "Where does Trowa park his car?" 

Duo switched gears and chuckled. "He doesn't have one. He takes the bus if he has to, but he usually rides his bike. He's a poster child for the clean air movement." 

Considering this information, Heero leaned back against the seat and adjusted the air vent so the cool air pumping from it was blowing on his face. The weather was conducive to driving a motorcycle and it would certainly be less expensive to own and operate then a car. Adjusting the calculations in his head he could see where a bike and Duo's car would both fit under the wooden overhang that passed for a garage. "What type of bike does he drive?" 

Duo shrugged, expertly changing lanes to accelerate around a slow moving car. "Some kind of fancy mountain bike. I'm not sure who makes it. If you ask him he'll tell you all the details." The tone of Duo's voice made it quite clear he'd heard more on the subject than he ever wanted to know.

"He rides a /bicycle/? In this heat?" Heero made a mental to research the symptoms and treatment of heat stroke as a level one priority. 

"I know; crazy huh?" Duo's eyes met Heero's for a split second. "He's been doing it as long as I can remember. The heat doesn't seem to bother him. Lucky bastard." The last sentence was muttered with halfhearted annoyance or envy. "The rest of us mortals suffer and he just cruises right through the summer." 

Heero nodded, incredulous that anyone could be immune to triple digit temperatures. He studied the buildings out his window as Duo slowed the car to pull into a long parking lot that fronted a row of shops. Two large signs caught his eye and he filed the names away as a matter of course. 

"The battery store is around the corner, but it's easier to get into this way." Duo pointed to one of places that had caught his eye. "That's a used book store. They have other stuff too. There're three of them in town and one in Flagstaff. They're pretty much a fixture around here. The place next door is where I was thinking about for lunch." 

It didn't take them long to pick up the batteries Heero needed. He had a list and the dark skinned young man behind the counter was knowledgeable as well as charming. Duo wandered through the small store, amused and surprised at the variety on display. Back outside they returned to the car and Duo moved it closer to the sandwich shop he'd pointed out earlier. 

The shop was busy despite it being past the normal lunch rush. The customers were a mixture of older people and college aged with very few in between. In one corner, a group of teenagers laughed loudly ignoring the amused and disgusted looks from the people sitting near them. The girl in the corner brushed her electric blue bangs out of her eyes and grinned at him, as she looked him over appraisingly. Turning to the redheaded boy who was sitting next to her she said something and they shared a look between them. 

Heero watched the teens for another moment before dropping his eyes to study the menu that Duo handed to him. The air was aromatic with a mixture of freshly baked bread and pastries that were making his mouth water. He looked over the menu one more time before stepping to the counter and placing his order. 

The only available table was way in the back, not too far from the group of teenagers Heero had been studying earlier. They settled themselves with their drinks and Heero listened with interest as Duo told him about some of the businesses in the area. Heero was careful to ask open-ended questions designed to keep Duo talking, curious to see what things his companion deemed worthy of mention. 

When lunch arrived, Heero bit into his sandwich, pleased to discover that it lived up to the anticipation. He ate slowly, enjoying both the taste of the freshly baked bread and the company. Duo was intelligent and charming, but with a feel of worldly knowledge about him. He was not one to hedge the big issues or let political correctness get in the way of telling it like he saw it. This was a quality Heero found refreshing. Honesty with a dose of humor summed up his assessment.

Intriguing. That was the word that kept coming to mind over and over again as they ate. He found Duo intriguing. He'd been drawn to Quatre because of similar interests and mutual desire to explore their sexuality. This felt different, deeper and more comfortable without the familiarity of friendship. There was anticipation that something was about to happen and he wasn't quite sure where it was coming from. The logical side of his brain, the one that ruled most of his thoughts and actions, reminded him he'd known Duo for less than twenty-four hours. 

But still the other part, that little bit that he mostly kept buried, whispered to him. This was the part that showed up when he was trying to find a way around a supposedly insurmountable problem or that sent him to have a short but detailed discussion with Wufei about the consequences of breaking Relena's heart if that should come to pass. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it, thinking that it would warrant some time and thought later on that evening. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The first thing Trowa noticed when he walked into the house was the sound of music. It was soft and somewhat muffled, but still clear enough to hear. He'd expected to find the place empty and quiet based on the fact that both the van and Duo's car were gone. Shrugging, he moved through the main room towards the dining area. Maybe Duo had left his radio on. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened, though screaming guitars and heavy bass riffs were more Duo's usual style than violins. 

Trowa walked into the kitchen and set his water bottle in the sink, a reminder to wash and refill it later, before turning to rummage through the refrigerator. Grabbing a handful of grapes and another water bottle he headed back towards his room hoping to catch a few hours of studying before everyone else returned. 

In the hallway Trowa noticed the door to the room that Quatre was staying in was ajar, and the music seemed to be emanating from it. That made more sense; Quatre seemed like the type who would enjoy classical music. Trowa raised his hand to knock on the door and ask if Quatre needed anything, but stilled it before it made contact with the wood not wanting to interrupt what he saw inside. 

On the bed was a hard backed book that looked like a novel from the picture on the cover. It was open to a page about a fourth of the way in as if Quatre had been reading and then on impulse set it down in such a way to keep from losing his place. Quatre stood in the middle of the room, still dressed in the baggy shorts and loose t-shirt he'd worn at breakfast. Resting on his shoulder was a violin. The gloss of the wood screamed age and workmanship. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted as he swayed just a little bit in tune with the music he was creating. 

Trowa watched for a few minutes, feeling as if he had stumbled across something deeply personal and yet was not able to pull himself away. Part of him realized that when the enchantment broke Quatre might not take kindly to finding him lurking in the doorway like a peeping tom watching a couple making love. Regretfully he eased his way past Quatre's door and hurried down the hall to his own room. 

He hesitated then allowed the door to remain partially open so he could continue to listen while Quatre played. He'd have to find a way to ask what the name of the piece was. It was easily the most beautiful music he'd ever heard. It was light and strong with a hint at something more melancholy blending through it. 

Dropping his heavy backpack on the desk, Trowa then kicked off his shoes and settled on the bed, eating his grapes slowly and listening to Quatre play. There was a moment of quiet and Trowa held his breath until the music started again. This time it was slow and sad. Not soft though the mood that it carried made it feel as if the volume had dropped. It spoke to Trowa of loss and dreams that would never come true. Of family and friends found then lost. A feeling Trowa was all too familiar with. 

With the napkin and grape stems tossed in the garbage, Trowa put his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. The music continued, drifting on the air-conditioned draft that blew across his body. The cynical part of his brain had to wonder exactly what a guy like Quatre would know about broken dreams and loss, but his mind kept going back to what he has seen earlier. The way Quatre looked playing his violin. Maybe there was more to this guy than a pretty face. Not that it mattered because they wouldn't be around long enough for Trowa to get to know him. Closing his eyes and losing himself in the music, Trowa sighed and shifted trying to find a more comfortable place. That seemed to be a theme in his life, people passing through without slowing down or stopping. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Relena adjusted the viewfinder and zoomed in on the intricate decorations on the front of the mission. The whole building was beautiful, but it was the details that caught her eye and made her want to photograph them. That was where it showed that this was a labor of love and just how much time had gone into the planning and execution. She was reminded of some of the architecture in both Spain and Mexico she'd seen pictures of, mixed in with something that was unique to the area. 

They'd been inside already and admired the paintings and sculptures on the walls. Though Relena longed to photograph them, she respected the notice that said no flash photography. It was surprisingly dark inside even with the high windows. She suspected that even with using slow film and allowing for maximum light the pictures would be dark and unclear. Not the way she wanted to remember the living feel of the church. So instead she had chosen to record it in her mind's eye and purchase a few postcards with pictures of the interior. 

Snapping the picture, she lowered the camera and swiped at the sweat rolling down the back of her neck. It made her skin itch as if little bugs were crawling on her. The hot wind that blew through intermittently kicked up dust that stuck to her and while it cooled briefly, it also made her more aware of the perspiration that was gathering between her breasts and underneath them where her bra rubbed. For a split second she considered taking it off and leaving it in the van, but discarded the idea. 

She smiled at Wufei who was standing a little to side to give her room to shift if she needed. The concern on his face made her guess that hers was probably bright red by now. One of the curses of having fair skin was that it didn't take much time in the sun before she looked like she was a heartbeat away from heatstroke. 

"I'm fine." She reached for his hand, squeezing it to reassure him. "Why don't we go look at the shrine and then we can sit down in the shade and eat?" 

He nodded his assent, though the frown lines on his face didn't ease with her reassurance. She knew better than to push him. Wufei might not be as vocal as Heero when it came to protecting her, but he was still as careful. They had gone around and around about it. Almost breaking up several times when Wufei had become too heavy handed in his desire to keep her from what he perceived as danger. 

Relena smiled, remembering the last time they had gone skiing. Wufei had insisted that she was not skilled enough to hit the more difficult slopes and they had argued about it. In a fit of rebellion she had taken off down one that pushed her to the limit, managing to twist her ankle in the process. She'd spent the day pretending it didn't hurt and Wufei had let her. Heero had finally interceded and called them both idiots before he wrapped Relena's ankle and set her down in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and an ice pack. 

They'd learned a lot about themselves and each other on that trip. Using that knowledge to help them find a better balance in their relationship. Relena still enjoyed taking risks, but she was more aware now that it was not just herself she needed to consider while Wufei had learned the best way to hold onto the woman he loved was loosely. Too tight and she would fight her way to freedom. 

The hike to the top of the small hill where the shrine was located wasn't steep, and both of them were in good shape, yet by the time they arrived Relena was breathing heavily and Wufei was drenched in sweat. From their vantage point they looked out over the valley below them. Off to the right where the road wound out to the freeway, shimmers of heat induced haze could be seen, distorting the air around it. 

Several funnel clouds that looked like miniature tornados glided across the ground, kicking up dust and tumbleweeds where they passed. "I didn't know they had tornados here." Relena raised her camera and snapped a few pictures. 

"We call them dust devils." Relena and Wufei both turned to face a smiling woman in her early thirties. Her brown eyes shone with amusement at the confusion on Relena's face. "Tornados form in the clouds and touch down. Dust devils form at the ground and grow up." She shook her head and pointed out the larger of the two dust devils. "They get big ones out here because there's a lot of space for the wind to blow unobstructed." 

Nodding, Relena filed the information away as a curiosity. "They're not dangerous then?" 

'"For the most part no, but some of the bigger ones are strong enough to uproot trees. I saw one as a kid that tore off a couple of roofs and completely demolished a shed." Relena shuddered, unconsciously moving closer to Wufei who wrapped an arm around her. The woman smiled again, softer this time. "You don't need to worry about those. They're small and the most they're going to do is mess up your hair and get dirt in your eyes." Her eyes flicked to a group of people that had moved away from the shrine and were obviously waiting for her. "Enjoy the rest of your visit." 

She was gone before either one could say thank you. Since there was already a small crowd of people in front of the fence that kept the public from damaging the site Relena let herself be led over to a cement bench in the shade. They rested there, slowly drinking water and admiring the view. 

"It's so peaceful here." Relena sighed happily when a breeze brushed against her, and pulled out the front of her shirt repeatedly fanning herself as best she could. "You can almost feel the years of blessings." 

"A sacred spot." Wufei nodded in agreement. "I'm not a sensitive like Quatre, but there are some places that have such strong emotions attached to them that even Heero and I have been aware of them." He stopped, looking out towards the horizon, his mind far away. "When Quatre and I were about thirteen, we went on a trip through New York State. One of the places we stopped was the Elmira prison camp. There was so much hatred, anger and fear, you could still feel it. I got the chills. We had no idea Quatre was a sensitive then. He hadn't really shown any signs before that. He turned white then green and threw up. His father had to carry him back to the car. " 

He shifted and Relena could see the pain in his eyes. "He was sick for two days: fever, chills and throwing up. When we got back, Mr. Winner had him start training with Rashid. He taught Quatre about shielding and how to protect himself." Wufei stopped, almost seeming embarrassed at opening himself up the way he had. "Come on." He stood and reached for her hand. "Let's go see this shrine and then we can eat." 

Taking his hand, Relena squeezed it and then rose to stand next to him. "That sounds wonderful. I can't wait to try the fry bread." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Duo whistled when Relena pulled her hair up and piled it on top of her head exposing the back of her neck. 

"That's a nasty burn you've got there. You sure you used sunscreen?" 

"Yes." Wufei answered for her, ignoring the glare coming from Heero's side of the table. "I put it on myself." 

"What SPF did you use?" 

Wufei blinked. "SPF? I have no idea." 

Duo went into the other room and was gone for a minute. When he returned he was carrying a blue tube. He tossed it to Wufei who caught it deftly. "SPF 45. Water proof so sweat doesn't wash it off." He winked at Relena. "Those of us with fair skin have to stick together." 

She blushed slightly and then smiled back at him. "Thank you." 

Duo nodded; his hand on the back door knob. He stepped outside, leaving the door cracked open. When he stepped back in, he held what looked like two long leaves in his hand. They were about six inches in length, wide at the base and coming to a point with a spine at the end. Unlike an actual leaf, these were about half an inch thick and weeping a clear fluid from the cut end. He set them down on the table and carefully sliced off a thin strip on each side to remove the spines. With practiced ease he then split it long ways and lifted off the top to expose an interior that was a clear jelly. Gesturing to Relena who obediently lifted her hair off the back of her neck again he put the gel side down on her reddened skin and proceeded to rub it all over the sunburned area. 

"That stings." She started to pull away and then paused, sighing happily. "Its nice and cool." 

"What is that? Heero picked up the uncut leaf and studied it, raising it to his face to sniff the cut section. 

"Aloe Vera. Good for what ails ya." 

When Relena started to lower her hair, Duo reached out to touch her hand. "You'll want to wear it up for a while. It won't hurt your hair but it will make it stick to the burn and that sucks." He smiled ruefully. "Trust me on this one."

Relena smiled at him gratefully then hurried out of the room, her hair still held up off her neck to find something to secure it with. 

Duo gathered up the rest of the Aloe Vera and put it into an airtight container so it would keep for later then plopped down in a chair next to Heero, and gave Quatre the once over. "You might want to use that sunscreen too. I bet you burn faster than Relena." 

"Actually, no." Quatre leaned back in his chair looking smug. "It’s the Arabian blood. My ancestors were desert dwellers." 

Duo snorted. "Right, you're Arabian. And I'm Miss America." 

"Where do you keep your tiara?" Wufei smirked, clearly enjoying being one up on Duo this time. "His parents immigrated when they were kids. Quatre's first generation American." 

"That's right." Quatre agreed. "So did Wufei's. They grew up together." 

Duo's eyes flicked back and forth between the two grinning men for a moment then shook his head. "Sorry, not buying it. Chang, okay I can see that, but come on, Winner doesn't sound Arabian."

"That's not the original family name. When my father's family moved here they decided to change it to fit their change in fortune." 

"You're just bullshitting me." The confident tone in Duo's voice had taken on a slightly questioning edge. "People don't do that anymore." 

Quatre smirked, pulled his wallet from his back pocket and opened it to reveal an old, worn picture of a young blonde woman, who could be Quatre's double standing next to a slightly older man. The man's dark hair and swarthy skin clearly marked him as being of Middle Eastern decent. Carefully Quatre removed the picture and turned it over. On the back was written 'Quatrina, Madani, 1981'. He held the picture where Duo could examine it but refused to relinquish it to Duo's care. 

"I'll be damned." Duo slumped back in his chair and grinned. 

"Probably, but for worse things." Trowa pushed his way through the door into the dinning room, a large pan of enchiladas in his hands, which he carefully set on the hot plates already waiting on the table. Smirking, he walked back into the kitchen and then reemerged with small glass bowls of cut up tomatoes, lettuce and onion. He set them down on the table and settled into his seat. He handed Quatre a spatula with a grin. "You managed to out bullshit Duo. You get the first dibs." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

Wufei was amused. It had been decided after dinner that a movie and then an early night would hit the spot. After watching Duo coat Relena's neck liberally with Aloe Wufei had settled on a small love seat with her at his side. He could tell she was tired by the way she was leaning against him and he suspected it wouldn't be long before the movie lulled her to sleep. However, that was not what was making him force himself not to grin. 

What was amusing him were the other four people in the room. It was like watching a high school dance or a very badly choreographed play. There was a lot of shuffling and subtle glances that weren't nearly as discrete as they thought. Part of him wanted to say 'oh just sit next to each other for god's sake' and another part was having way too much fun watching four grown men trying to figure out a smooth way to sit down next to someone they were attracted to without being obvious.

In the end Trowa and Duo sat on one couch and Quatre and Heero on another. All involved opting for safety and comfort. Fortunately they still had a few more days. If nothing was done or said by that point he might have to think about taking action, but for now he could sit back and let them entertain him.

He snaked an arm around Relena's shoulders, careful to avoid the burn and settled in to watch with a small sigh. The movie was a romantic comedy, one he'd seen before, but had enjoyed enough to not mind a repeat viewing. As the story unfolded the tension in the room eased and conversation picked up. 

Remarks were bandied back and forth along with a pillow at one point. Comfortable silence descended toward the end of the film and Wufei let his eyes drift from the television to the rest of the room. Duo and Trowa were sprawled on opposite ends of the couch. They appeared relaxed, but with space between them. It was easy to see that they had been friends for a long time. There was a sense of familiarity that came only from years of interacting with someone. It was a feeling he was well acquainted with. 

Duo appeared to be watching the movie intently though Wufei could see the occasional glance that went Heero's way. Heero seemed equally aware of them as more than once his eyes caught Duo's. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, obviously not displeased by the attention. 

Wufei had not been sure about Heero when Quatre had introduced them their freshman year, a feeling that had grown when he discovered the two were involved. It wasn't until after the break up, and both had made the transition to friendship, that Wufei was able to let himself get to know Heero. He'd found a keen mind and a somewhat quirky sense of humor behind the stoic expression and obsession with technology. 

Of course, he had Heero to thank for Relena. They had been at Heero's dorm room listening to music when she had burst in, red faced and furious, and proceeded to inform Heero that her boyfriend had broken up with her because of him and she was now out a hundred dollars for the dress she had bought for the upcoming formal. She had ended by demanding to know what he planned to do about it. Heero had glared and informed her he would pay for the dress. Wufei had been impressed when she'd matched Heero glare for glare. Not backing down in the face of Heero's intimidating displeasure. 

Wufei still couldn't say what had possessed him to offer to escort her. It had come as much of a surprise to him as it had everyone else in the room. He'd been even more surprised when she had turned to him, a smile that lit up the room on her lips and accepted with graciousness that her earlier tirade had effectively hidden. Completely ignoring Heero she had written down her address and phone number on a piece of paper, then handed it to Wufei, with a sassy 'call me' before giving her cousin one last look and stalking from the room. 

In retrospect he'd never had a chance. She'd had him from the first moment he'd seen her. By the end of the first date she'd been equally taken with him. There was a lot of fire in their relationship and it had been a struggle to keep it together over some of the bigger bumps, but despite their disagreements there was a strong foundation of love and mutual respect. Wufei knew himself well enough to know that he needed someone strong willed enough to stand up to him. He could be overbearing and dismissive when he was in a mood and he expected anyone he was with to be able to match him and hold her ground. 

Relena had done that with a vengeance, never backing down from him or allowing him to run her over. She challenged and stimulated him intellectually and emotionally as well as being a great lover. Gentle and compassionate in turns. There were times when he was humbled that she was in his life, and others when he was so exasperated he wanted to shake her. 

Smiling, he shifted and looked down at where she was drowsing, leaning against him. He bent slightly and softly kissed the top of her head, noting when he did that the burn appeared to be fading. He would have to remember to thank Duo. 

Motion caught his eye and he was not surprised to see Quatre curl up next to Heero and lean against him. Almost as if it was second nature, Heero shifted position to compensate. Quatre was physically affectionate, something that was part of him from birth. Wufei could remember them being put down together to nap as small children and invariably waking up with an arm or leg draped across him. Part of being friends, especially close friends, with Quatre, meant you would be hugged, touched, leaned on and occasionally, after a night of a little too much beer, drooled on. 

Heero, on the other hand, had a wall around him that said 'Heero Yuy's personal space, trespassers will be shot on sight'. Having watched him for years, Wufei knew that with the people who worked their way past that wall, Heero was just as affectionate as Quatre. It was a part of him that he didn't show to people he didn't trust. The fact that Heero felt safe enough to do that now spoke volumes for his comfort with the two veritable strangers in the room. That alone was enough to make Wufei smile.

His gaze flickered across the room in time to catch a meaningful look pass between Trowa and Duo. Jealousy, curiosity and a question so loud, it hung in the air between them. Wufei shifted again, leaning back against the couch as drowsiness began to creep over him. No matter how things turned out over the next few days with the actual investigation, this stop was definitely worth making.


	4. Chapter 4

Saturday 29th July 2006

Heero adjusted the lens, zooming in on Duo and then back out enough to be able to take in not only his face, but also his hands. Moving on to the next one, he did the same thing only this time focusing on Quatre who turned slightly and flashed the camera a smile, comfortable with the familiar routine. Heero gave him thumbs up and walked around the table to the third video camera and repeated the process, only this time making sure that both Quatre and Duo were visible. 

The tapes would be analyzed for any indications that the interviewee was coached or led. That was the reason for three cameras. One that showed the interaction between the two men, and one focused on each of them, to allow for a more close up analysis of facial expression and hand gestures, the finer details that might be lost due to the distance required to capture both in the same frame. 

All three cameras were set to a single remote so that the time stamp and watermark on each frame of film could be easily matched to the same moment on the other tapes. It was a simple system of checks and balances that Heero had perfected. He had taken a universal remote and rebuilt it to fit his needs. It had only a single button, a simple start/stop switch, but it was programmed to tie into all three cameras. If for any reason one failed to start recording, the remaining ones would be immediately shut down. 

Eliminating the need for someone to operate the cameras removed a major distraction and an undocumented source of outside influence. The fewer people, the less likely the interviewee would feel the need to put on a show and reaffirm a basic principle of studying behavior; that people, like animals are influenced by the knowledge they are being watched. Ideally, the cameras would be hidden and the conversation casual, but there were legalities involved that would not allow that. Plus, in some instances, the structure of the interview and the knowledge it was being recorded kept the interviewee from embellishing the story. The personality variable was one that he had yet to determine a way to overcome. 

Relena was the expert when it came to still photos, but the video cameras were Heero's. He cleaned, polished, and tweaked them with loving hands that respected the high level of technology they represented. He'd been teased more than once about his unhealthy infatuation with his equipment, but took it in good stride. It was this dedication to his craft and its tools that made him so good at what he did. 

One last check of the cameras, lingering just a little longer with the one on Duo than was necessary, and Heero was done. He had to admit the man was extremely photogenic and took to being photographed with an unusual level of comfort. Heero stepped away from the tripod and handed Quatre the remote. Relinquishing it with just a hint of reluctance. Rather like a father letting go of his child. 

"I'll be in the other room. Call me when you're done and we can set up for Trowa." 

Quatre nodded. "Thanks, Heero." He set the remote on the table next to a blank legal pad that had several pens laying on it. 

With one last look and a slight smile at Duo, Heero left the room, shutting the door behind him. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Do you have any questions before we get started?" Quatre smiled, warm and reassuring, at Duo. There was something appealing about him and Quatre wanted this to be a good experience for Duo. He felt comfortable around him and while he did not feel the attraction he did for Trowa, the potential for friendship was there and Quatre wanted to nurture that. 

"Is all this really necessary?" Duo waved his hand towards one of the cameras, a frown starting to wrinkle his forehead. "I feel like I'm on one of those stupid reality shows." Schooling his features into a look of complete doe eyed innocence, Duo looked straight at the camera. "Please don't vote me off the island. It wasn't my fault, really." 

Quatre snorted, unable to stop himself. "Does that actually work on anyone?" 

Duo's expression shifted to one of righteous indignation mixed with hurt. "I'll have you know my teachers all thought I was the perfect angel." He paused and his smile softened into something much more real. "Except Howard. He never believed any of the bullshit I shoveled for him." 

"He sounds like a very wise man." 

"Yeah." Duo looked away for a moment then back to meet Quatre's eyes solidly. "Lets get this show on the road." 

"Okay." Quatre hit the button on the remote and checked for the red light on all three of the cameras to be sure they were recording. He straightened in his seat and the expression on his face changed from its usual open warmth to something more distant and professional. "Could you state for the record your name and address please?" 

"Duo Maxwell. 146 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona." Duo's voice lost all hint of laughter and shifted in tone to match Quatre's.

"To your knowledge, have you ever experienced any paranormal phenomena?" 

"Yes, I have." 

Quatre could see the desire to make a smart ass remark on Duo's face. He struggled with it for a moment and in the end suppressed the urge. Quatre let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, relieved that he didn't have to try to respond. "Could you please describe the incident or incidents?" 

"It was the end of January this year. We'd had a couple check out, and were due to get another guest in that afternoon so I was changing sheets and doing a general clean up in the room." 

"Which room was that?" Quatre pulled out a rough diagram of the bed and breakfast out from under the legal pad and set it between him and Duo so both could reach it equally easy. 

"This one." Duo pointed to the empty room that bordered on the one Quatre was currently in. 

Quatre made a notation on the floor plan to designate the room Duo had specified. "Thank you. Please continue." 

"I put the vacuum cleaner away and went back to do a final check and there was this guy standing at the window. Only it wasn't a guy, more like an outline or something. I could see through him. It was weird." 

"Did he say or do anything?" Quatre kept his voice neutral, hyper aware of doing anything that might unconsciously encourage Duo to embellish his story.

"He turned and walked across the room and then just disappeared at the doorway." Duo's eyes had a slightly glazed look as he remembered the incident. 

"Could you describe the man you saw?" 

Duo pursed his lips, considering. "I couldn't see him that well. It was like looking at a faded watercolor, all grays and blacks, but hazy with no clear lines. I know he was wearing a hat. The kind the gangsters wore in the thirties." He frowned then grinned. "A derby. I think he was wearing a long coat, like a duster, but that's about it. He seemed tall. Maybe six feet or so? It's hard for me to guess, everyone seems tall to me." 

Quatre nodded, acknowledging Duo's words. "Were there any environmental anomalies at the time, that you were aware of?"

"Come again? This time in English." 

"Any physical changes in the room that you noticed?"

"You mean like cold spots? Stuff like that?" 

Quatre nodded. "Yes. Things like that." 

"No changes or anything." Duo paused, tugging on his braid as if he was unsure. "There's always been a cold spot in front of that window. We've adjusted the vents. Even had a guy out to look at it and he couldn't find anything wrong. He said the temperature was the same and didn't even seem to think it felt cold by the window." 

Frowning, Quatre made a note on the legal pad to mention this to Heero as something to be sure to check out when they did their investigation tomorrow." Is this the only encounter you've had?" 

"I caught a flash of something when I changed the sheets the next day, but it was just out of the corner of my eye. Couldn't say for sure it was anything other than my imagination." 

"Has anyone else ever had a paranormal encounter in this or any of the other rooms of the house that you are aware of?" 

"A couple of the guests have seen the same guy. We had to move one lady out of the room because he freaked her out. Woke me at dawn to tell me there had been a man in her room looking out the window." 

"Did he do something threatening?" Quatre's tone was carefully neutral but at the same time curious. 

Duo snorted. "He was just standing at the window. She was a weird lady, complained about everything from the beds being too hard, to Trowa putting too much pepper in her eggs. After she left, she sent us a card to thank us for the lovely time she'd had." 

"Have there been any sightings in any other rooms besides this one?" Quatre tapped the paper making sure there was no doubt as to the room he meant. 

"You'll have to ask Tro that. The guy seems to like him. Must be those tight jeans he wears." 

Quatre swallowed, pushing aside the visual that sent blood rushing to his groin. Now was not the time to be picturing Trowa in tight jeans, bending over. Taking in Duo's grin Quatre could tell the wording had been intentional. Designed to tweak Quatre's imagination. Just what the hell was Duo playing at? Quatre forced himself to focus and conclude the interview with some level of dignity. "Do you have any questions for me?" 

Duo shook his head. "No, not that I can think of." When Quatre had pressed the button again to stop the recordings, Duo leaned back in his chair, blatantly studying Quatre. "I've got a question now that the cameras are off." 

Frowning, Quatre reached for the remote. "It's important that the whole interview be taped. I can not answer questions off the record." 

"This had nothing to do with ghostbusting or anything paranormal. It's a question for /you/." 

"Oh." Quatre returned the remote to its earlier spot at his elbow. "I'll answer it if I can. What do you want to know?"

"What's up with Heero?" 

"I'm sorry." Quatre blinked slowly, trying to determine exactly what Duo was getting at. "I'm not sure what you mean. He's in charge of the equipment and he's a bit compulsive about making sure his shots are lined up perfectly. He's very protective of his video cameras." 

"I don't mean that." Duo shook his head then leaned forward. "Maybe I should say what's up with /you/ and Heero. I've seen you watching Trowa and judging from how you reacted to the idea of him in tight jeans you're attracted to him, but last night you were practically laying on Heero cozy as can be. What's the deal? Are the two of you together or what?" 

"Are you attracted to him?" Quatre's confusion morphed into amusement and a hint of surprise that Duo was willing to just ask straight out. That was a skill he'd never quite gotten the hang of. 

"Yes." Duo's tone was mostly flat with a slight edge of 'what are you going to do about it.' "He seems like a great guy and he deserves someone who doesn't have a wandering eye." 

"He is and he does." Quatre nodded his agreement deciding not to take offense at what Duo was implying. "We were together once for a short time a few years ago. Now I'm fortunate to call him my friend. He's not an easy man to get to know, but he's worth the effort if you are willing to make it." 

"Yeah, he would be." The thoughtful look on Duo's face spoke volumes and when Quatre pushed back his chair to rise, Duo pinned him in place with a look. "What about Tro? He's worth getting to know too."

"I'm sure he is." Quatre stood, his eyes not quite meeting Duo's, but the slight blush on his face saying more than words could. "If you'll excuse me, I need to have Heero come set up for the next interview." Without waiting for a response, he turned his back and strode out of the room. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa ignored the cameras, effectively shutting them out of his mind. After playing ball and competing in gymnastics meets for years he'd learned the fine art of not letting the knowledge he was being recorded impact him. He also knew all the ways to evade, avoid, and flat out ignore a question he didn't want to answer, but those shouldn't be needed in this instance. At least he hoped not. 

From the corner of his eye, Trowa noticed Heero adjust the zoom on the camera and before stepping back. He then stepped around to the side of the table, handed Quatre a remote and walked out of the room leaving them alone. That was if you discounted the three cameras pointed directly at them. 

Quatre cleared his throat and smiled somewhat nervously at Trowa. "Ready to start? I'll make it as painless as possible."

"I've been interviewed before. It's not a problem." 

A slight blush stained Quatre's cheeks and he cleared his throat. "Oh, right. Sports star." He picked up the remote and Trowa noticed a light on the camera he could see clearly blink then go a solid red. 

"Could you state for the record your name and address please?" Quatre's voice and tone was suddenly professional and lacking in personal warmth. Trowa frowned, understanding the need for the change, but finding himself not liking it at all. 

"Trowa L. Barton. 146 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona." 

"Have you ever experienced any paranormal phenomena?" 

"Could you more specific?" 

Quatre stopped, staring for a moment, before he caught himself. "Specifically anything relating to the investigation we are about to conduct on your home. Sightings of apparitions." 

"Yes, I have." 

"Where did the experiences occur?" Quatre paused. "Specifically what rooms did they occur in?" 

Trowa felt the corner of his mouth twitch in amusement at the amended question. Quatre was a quick study. "All of them." 

"You've had an encounter in every room of the house?" 

Trowa nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but just in the house." 

"Are you sure it’s the same apparition?" 

"Yes. He does the same thing every time." Trowa frowned, remembering his last encounter a few days prior in the kitchen. "As soon as I notice him, he smiles and says Johnny." 

"He says Johnny? You can hear the word?" There was a frown on Quatre's face and Trowa could see the wheels spinning. "Has anyone else ever heard him speak?" 

"Yes, yes, and I don't know. No one else has ever mentioned it." Trowa smirked. 

"Do you have idea who this might be?" 

"Duo's convinced it's John Dillinger because of the history of the house." 

Tilting his head, Quatre studied the man across from him. "What do you think? You've had more contact. The apparition seems to have an affinity for you." 

Trowa opened his mouth and then closed it. His eyes flicked to the camera within his visual range. When he spoke, it was slow and cautious, each word measured for meaning and impact. "I don't think Johnny is his name. Do you know anything about John Dillinger or his connection with this house?" 

"Very little. He was a gangster and that is about it." Quatre smiled. "There is another group that does historical research. We keep the two separated so the team doing the investigations doesn't walk in with preconceived notions or expectations." 

"Sounds like a smart plan if you have the resources." Trowa nodded his approval. "Dillinger and his gang used this house as a hideout in 1934 after the top floor of the Hotel Congress burned. One of the firefighters on scene recognized the gang members and informed the police. They tracked them here and staked the place out until Dillinger showed up later on that day. At which point they were all arrested and held until he could be transferred back to the Midwest for trial. It was a completely bloodless and mostly painless operation. Dillinger was primarily embarrassed for being captured by a group of hick cops. Overall it was a very minor footnote in his life." 

The tone of Trowa's words and the way they seemed to just fall from his lips indicated this was a speech he'd given many times. Considering the décor and name of the place it wasn't particularly surprising. Besides the weather and the location, the history was their draw. What singled them out from all the other hotels, motels and rooms to rent in a city that thrived in a large part on tourism.

Frowning, Trowa leaned back in his chair, his measured tone gone and with it the somewhat distant look in his eye. He studied Quatre, evaluating the impact his words had on the blond. "Dillinger was violent. He started off as a petty thief and learned his trade as a bank robber in jail. He didn't die here and his arrest was only a minor glitch because he escaped once he was back in Indiana." He paused again, thoughtful. "His real history is in Indiana and Illinois, not here." 

There was another pause and other quick glance at the camera before Trowa leaned forward, a gesture meant to clearly indicate he was taking Quatre into his confidence. "This guy doesn't seem to be angry or violent." He leaned back in his chair and shrugged. There was a pause and silence filled the room before Trowa spoke again. "I think he's looking for Johnny not that he's saying what his name is." 

"Why?" 

Again the shrug and a slight smirk. "I have no idea. That's just the feeling I get." 

"Oh." Quatre nodded slowly. "Trusting your instincts is important. Often they will tell you things your conscious mind will try to dismiss as illogical or meaningless. Do you have any idea who this might be?" 

"When we first saw him Duo called the guy who used to own the place. The only person he knew of who'd died here was an uncle back in the 70s. His name was Ralph though his friends called him Frankie. There's no one in the family line with the name John or Johnny. The closest is a cousin named Juan but he lives in New Mexico and has never been out of the state. As far as he knew there wasn't anyone else connected to the family by that name either."

"It doesn't have to be a death." Quatre's voice was soft, full of memories of the past. "Any place where there were strong emotions can hold them. Hate, anger, despair, passion, love; they all infuse the places they're experienced. It's why some places feel homey and others leave you cold." 

Trowa smiled, a little more open than before. "I know." He paused, amusement more evident on his face. "Are you going to solve this mystery for us?" 

"I don't know." Quatre's smile matched Trowa's, letting his professional demeanor drop for a split second. "We'll do what we can, but honestly, often these kinds of investigations bring up more questions than they answer. Most of history is not recorded unless you were someone famous. People lived and died and left no history behind them except what their families or friends chose to remember. I can tell you we'll do the best we can. Beyond that I make no promises." 

"Okay." Trowa's smile opened a little more. "That's honest. I can live with that." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wufei stretched his legs, shifting to get more comfortable. The team was seated on the bed in Quatre's room, reviewing the tapes of the interviews. Heero paused the tape, and turned to Wufei. "That cold spot could be an issue. I'll check out the ventilation and tape off the windows as usual to make sure that its not coming from an outside source." 

"I've already spoken with Duo and Trowa separately. Neither one is aware of any plumbing or electrical problems, and there has not been any repairs on the structure or major components since they bought it. The building doesn't have any additions and the structure is sound and in compliance with current codes for a commercial building. I do want to check out the exterior wall, and the window to look for cracks in the foundation, or walls that might account for that cold spot." 

Heero nodded, making notations in a notebook that sat open on his lap. He was careful about documenting all the steps taken to eliminate environmental causes. "Have you looked at the plumbing?" 

"I did that while you and Quatre were doing the interviews. No leaks detected in the kitchen or either of the bathrooms. Shower, tubs and sinks are all older equipment but appear to be in good working condition. No squeaks or groans from the pipes when water is turned on or off. No noises detected in the pipes in the walls using a stethoscope and a standard three by three grid of squares. Vibrations detected in the walls are within normal ranges." 

"Good." Heero made another note in his book. "I'd like to do a double check of the electrical. If there is a ceiling fan in the room, like the rest of these, we need to check it and the wall switches. How about the exterior of the house on the plumbing?" 

"Minimal access underneath the house. No signs of leaks or unusual noises detected." Wufei brushed at his dirt covered clothes again in disgust. 

Minimal access really translated to no sane person would try to get in there. A leak would cause major problems, as the only way to really access the plumbing would be to go through the floor. He'd spent a good two hours under the house, on his back, scooting under low hanging beams and wrapped pipes. His hair was a tangled mess of dirt, spider webs, sweat and other things he didn't want to think about. On Duo's advice he'd taken a long stick for poking into corners so he didn't inadvertently put his hand on a rattlesnake or a scorpion that might be lurking in the relative cool of the darkness. Right now more than anything, he wanted to wrap up this meeting and take a nice long shower. 

As if reading Wufei's mind, Heero made a final note then restarted the tape. The rest of Duo's interview passed quickly and they were into Trowa's, when Quatre gestured for Heero to pause the tape again. 

"Duo and the three guests we interviewed previously all had encounters in the same place. For everyone, but Trowa, that room seems to be the trigger. I'd like to do a cursory check of the overall house, but focus primarily on that room." Quatre looked from Wufei to Heero and back again. "Standard rules apply; no one is to go in there alone or without documentation equipment. So far there have been no threatening movements, but we've all been in situations where that has changed quickly. If there are any questions or doubt in your minds, get out. The investigation comes secondary to the safety of the team." 

Wufei smiled to himself, scratching absently at a patch of dirt on his arm. The three of them had been working together as a team for close to three years now and yet Quatre gave them the same speech every time. It was as much a part of the process as Heero checking and double checking every detail and Wufei himself crawling under houses inspecting plumbing and electrical. One thing was sure: when he bought a house he'd know exactly what to look for in terms of structural integrity, having put in more hours crawling under various buildings than most inspectors did in a lifetime.

The tape was once again restarted and this time it played through to the end. Heero tilted the screen on the camera and then closed it, pulling on it slightly to make sure the latch had hooked into place. "I think we all know what we need to do at this point; we just need to do it." 

Wufei stood, moving towards the door. "I need a shower then I can help you with the electrical and the exterior wall. Quatre?" 

"I need to meditate, but I can do that later this evening. You go shower and I'll help Heero until you're done." 

"Fine with me." Wufei tugged on the elastic holding his hair back, exiting the room as it fell loose around his face. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What are you doing?" Duo leaned against the doorjamb, watching as first Heero and then Wufei threw a handful of bright red confetti in the air, studying it intently as it drifted to the floor. 

"Checking for air currents." Heero didn't bother to look up from the book he was making notes in. "The paper is light enough that it doesn't take much of a draft to make it react."

"Gotcha." Duo shifted position, making himself more comfortable as he watched the two men work. Both knew their job and did it without wasted effort or interference from the other. 

"We'll clean up later." 

Wufei walked towards the far wall, studying a digital thermometer in his hand. About four feet from the window, he stopped paused briefly. "The temperature remains constant, but there appears to be a slight chilling affect." He moved closer to the window then paused again. "Notable drop in temperature." He rubbed his arms while he looked at the thermometer. "No change in the readings." Two more steps and he was standing in front of the window. "The temperature here is actually five degrees higher. Attributed to the window, and the walls holding the warmth. "Subjectively, it appears much colder than the rest of the room." 

Wufei turned to the right and began to walk. He called out changes in perception and measurements as he moved away from the center of the cold spot. Once the outside edge was marked, Wufei returned to the center marking the distance the other direction. 

"It looks like a semi circle approximately two feet in each direction from dead center within the interior of the room." 

"Was there any change on the exterior of the building?"

Heero shook his head. "Consistent to within a ten degree variation from shaded to direct sunlight." 

Wufei pulled a chair next to the wall and raised the thermometer up so it was almost touching the ceiling. "The temperature is consistent at this height and no noticable change is detected." He stepped off the chair and moved to set the thermometer on the floor by the wall. "The same is true of the floor." Wufei stood up slowly, his hand held out in front of him but below the level of his waist. "The noticeable change appears here." He held his position long enough for Heero to measure and record it in his notebook. Wufei then continued to rise until he was standing. He stopped his hand when it was about in line with his upper chest. "It is no longer detectable at this point." Again, Heero measured and noted the height.

"Four feet two inches approximate width, and two and a half feet approximate height. Originating at approximately eighteen inches off the floor and terminating at slightly under five feet." 

Heero frowned, considering. "We can eliminate a worn rug that is allowing additional cold through the flooring as there is no measurable temperature change. There were no electrical surges at either the switch or the fan itself. No discernable drafts from the vents or window." 

"We run a classy joint here." Duo grinned. "No worn rugs, electrical surges or drafts allowed." Despite his initial skepticism, Duo had to admit that he was impressed, not only with the thoroughness of what he was seeing, but with the amount of science that was being applied. This investigation had been his idea and he'd had to talk Trowa into it. It wasn't that Duo particularly cared about the results, though he was curious to see what the professionals had to say. He'd seen the ghost and that was enough for him. In Duo's mind it was real, regardless of what any instruments said. 

The real reason was to be able to put a stamp on their website and in their brochures, which said that they had been investigated by the Winner Foundation, with a link back to their site to give the whole thing legitimacy. It would also allow them to register as an official haunted site among other things. With the sudden interest in the supernatural that had sprung up in the last few years, it was just one more way to pull in customers. It was mercenary and part of him felt bad about it, but on the other hand they hadn't lied, and if the request had been turned down he would have accepted it and moved onto something else. 

When Howard had died leaving Duo, his foster son and favorite student, what few possessions he had owned; Duo had tried living in the house by himself for a while, but after a few months the loneliness had begun to wear on him. It had been only natural for him to turn to Trowa, his best friend and the closest thing to family he had besides Howard. The two had pooled their resources; Trowa kicking in an equal amount from his carefully saved earnings and the extra he'd made doing endorsements while he was playing for the Sidewinders. 

They'd started off looking for a house to share, and one night over pizza and beer Duo had made a joke about buying some place big enough to rent out to borders, and the idea of a bed and breakfast was born. From there it was an easy transition to finding the right property, making the necessary changes to meet code, and marketing to the world at large. They'd done well for two guys not too long out of high school with no experience. The property was paid for and the loan for start up capital had a large dent in it. It wasn't something either one considered as a long term career, but for now it worked. The place was both a home and a source of income while Trowa finished school and Duo worked on his art, building a name for himself. 

Hopefully in a few years when they had established themselves the property would give them a nice return on their investment that they could use to bankroll whatever it was they chose to do next. 

"Do you have a ladder?" Duo blinked, his attention returning to his guests. For a moment his eyes caught on the gap between the bottom of Heero's shirt and the top of his shorts before he wrenched his gaze away.

"Its outside. In the shed." Duo turned away, just catching the smirk on Wufei's face as color flooded his face. It had been years since someone had caught him staring. There was something about Heero that went to his head, not the one with braid attached unfortunately. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Quatre's meditating and everyone else is hanging out in the living room if you want to come join us." 

Trowa looked up from his textbook and smiled, shaking his head. "Thanks, but I've got to read this by Monday and tomorrow is going to be a bust." 

"Heero said they were going to start about two or so. If you need to go to the library or something that's cool. I can handle things here. These guys are all in school, they'll understand." 

"I told Quatre I'd be around. He said I was a trigger and asked if I would be here." Trowa shrugged. "They came all this way; it seemed like the least I could do."

Duo grinned and leaned back against the wall. "The fact that it was Quatre who asked has nothing to do with it. Just being a good host?" 

"I do what I can to help out. We invited these guys here and stand to benefit from it. It would be stupid for me to sabotage that." 

"Oh, now it all makes sense. Checking out his assets was just to make him feel more at home? And reopening the kitchen to make him an omelet when everyone else had French toast was what? Anti-sabotage?" 

"Anti-sabotage?" Trowa snorted. "Is that even a word?" 

"You tell me, college boy. And don't change the subject. You like him." 

"He seems nice enough. They all do." Smirking, Trowa shifted a little on the bed. "What about Heero?" 

Duo met his eyes and grinned back. "He's a nice guy too. Easy to talk to and really thinks about things. He's a hell of a hard worker. Not afraid to get his hands dirty if the job requires it." 

"You know this from personal experience?" The smirk on Trowa's face widened as the humor in his voice became more apparent. "Maybe you can get him to give you some personal investigation lessons. I bet he knows all about undercover work." 

Duo groaned and looked around for something to throw. "If you hook up with Rich Boy Winner, he can buy you a sense of humor. God knows I've tried to help and it's not done a damn bit of good." 

Rolling his eyes, Trowa flopped back on the bed. "I'm not hooking up with anyone. I don't have time for any more complications in my life right now." 

Duo eased his way down the wall until he was seated on the floor, his legs stretched out in front of him. "Many hands make burdens light." 

There was a snort and Trowa rolled his head so he could see Duo. "Thank you, Auntie Duo. Could you knit me a sweater to go with those words of wisdom?" 

"Fuck you." Duo flashed his middle finger though his voice lacked any real malice. "I'm trying to help you get your sorry ass laid here. If you don't want my help, say so." 

"So." 

"You're a hopeless case, Tro. Why do I even hang around with you?" 

"Because no one else will put up with you?"

"Besides that." Duo waved his hand vaguely. He voice softened and took on a more serious tone. "Seriously, Tro, this guy likes you and you like him. What's the harm in giving it a shot?" 

"I've known him two days, Duo. The only things I know about him are that he lives on the other side of the country and chases ghosts for fun. I don't see any point in pursuing something that will end up with us probably never seeing each other again." 

Duo sighed, shaking his head at the bitter edge in Trowa's voice. Choosing to ignore the last part of Trowa's comment, he focused on the one thing he could address. "He likes your omelets." 

"Well now, that's something to base a relationship on." Trowa snorted. Making his voice a few octaves higher, he chanted in a singsong voice. "Eat your eggs, sweetie. When you finish I'll put on my sheet with the eyeholes and we can fuck until you reach a new plane of existence." 

Duo laughed, leaning his head back against the wall. "Howard was right. If sarcasm was an Olympic sport you'd be a gold medallist. When did you get so fucking cynical, buddy?" 

There was silence for a moment as both men lost themselves in their thoughts. Trowa tilted his head again, his gaze fixating on the ceiling. The sound of laughter drifted down the hallway, muffled by distance. 

When he finally spoke, Trowa's voice was soft, but clear. "I was born cynical. I thought you knew that by now." 

"Yeah, well you need to get over that or you're going to end up alone." 

Trowa shrugged, shifting so his arms were under his head. "What about Heero?" 

"What about him?"

"Are you going to take him to a higher plane of existence?"

"I hope to at some point." Duo paused, toying with the end of his braid. "I want to get to know him more. He's not a one night stand kind of guy." He paused, staring off into space. "I think there might be a chance for something more here. I'm not picking out curtains or anything, but it seems real." 

Tilting his head again Trowa smiled. "I hope it is. You deserve to be happy and in love. It looks good on you." 

"We'll see. In the meantime he's got this really cute friend who's not seeing anyone. Got the whole blond school boy look, which is hot this year." 

"It was hot last year too." 

"The classics never go out of style." 

Trowa rolled his eyes, snorting as he did so. Once again silence crept in to fill the spaces. Comfort born of knowledge, and experience infusing it. The time when friendship and family begins to blur around the edges long past for them. 

"Hey, Duo?" 

"Yeah." 

"Get the hell out of my room so I can study." 

Duo bounced to his feet then turned towards the door. He paused with his hand on the knob, considering his next words, but in the end it was Trowa who spoke first. "I'll think about it, okay?" There was a pause and while his next words were simple ones used by people every day, Duo appreciated the effort it cost his friend to say them. "Thank you." 

"Anytime. That's what friends are for." Without turning, he lingered in the doorway, allowing Trowa his privacy and respecting the vulnerability he was privy to. "Love ya, buddy." The words were off his lips as he was closing the door behind him. He grinned at the dull thump as a pillow hit the doorframe, letting him know Trowa had heard what he'd said.


	5. Chapter 5

Sunday 30th July 2006

"Relena, are you planning to take stills of just the room the sightings have occurred in or the whole house?" 

"I'd like to do the whole house though my primary concern is for the room with the sightings. Was there something else you wanted me to do instead?" 

"No." Heero shook his head, not looking up from the video camera he was checking over. "We should be covered by a stationary camera with a wide angle lens and I'll do the hand held. I think we can dispense with the glow sticks and flashlights since it is bright enough to see even with the curtains drawn." Heero shifted one of his bags of equipment to the floor and stared pulling things from the other. He handed Quatre a small hand held voice recorder with an external microphone. "The batteries are fresh and I put a new tape in this morning." 

Quatre nodded and picked up a pen from Heero's desk. He removed the tape from the recorder and wrote his name, the date, and the location on the front of the tape before reinserting it in the recorder. "I think we should start with the living room and work out way through the house to the bedroom where most of the sightings have occurred. I've already told Duo and Trowa that we are not going to go into their rooms. The bulk of the sightings occurred elsewhere and they've been gracious about the invasion of their space. I see no need to push that any further." 

Wufei raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk on his lips. "I thought those would be the two rooms you'd want to have the closest look at." He was rewarded with twin blushes and a light smack from Relena.

"Be nice." Relena smiled to soften the reprimand. "I'm sure Heero and Quatre could see them if they asked nicely. Besides, who wants to know that their prospective boyfriend has dirty socks that set off a Geiger counter?" 

Quatre's blush darkened and Heero started to look through the equipment bag searching for something that he seemed to have lost track of, despite his borderline compulsive organization when it came to his equipment. "The house has already been swept for radiation. Wufei and Heero did that yesterday when they were checking the plumbing and electrical systems for problems." 

Relena's grin took on an impish air and she exchanged a look with Wufei. "Well in that case all systems are go." She nudged Wufei, moving a little closer. "Guess they won't need those lead lined boxer shorts after all." 

"I can buy my own underwear, thanks." Quatre rolled his eyes, the blush fading as his embarrassment was replaced by amusement. He paused, smirking at Relena. "When I wear them." 

Wufei snorted. "That was TMI. Can we get back to business now?" He turned towards Heero. "Unless you want to share too? Because I'm sure your underwear is of utmost importance." 

"Tighty whiteys." Heero muttered not looking up. 

"Well." Wufei blinked several times, surprise and amusement mixing on his face. "That was something I could have lived a long and fulfilling life without knowing." 

"You asked." Heero looked up, handing Wufei the EMF Meter that he normally used when doing an investigation. "I presumed you wanted an answer." 

Taking the EMF meter, Wufei set it on the bed next to him. Suddenly serious, he turned back to face Quatre. "Did you get a chance to meditate last night?" 

Quatre nodded. "Meditated, centered and at peace with this world and the next." He set the voice recorder on the bed next to his leg and gestured for them to make a circle. When they were settled he joined hands with Wufei and Heero and Relena did the same to so they were all touching. They bowed their heads each saying a silent prayer of protection and thanks. When he was finished Quatre squeezed Wufei's and Heero's hands before letting them fall. "I think we're ready to start." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trowa leaned against the wall, appearing to be relaxed, eyes fixed on Quatre and Wufei as they moved slowly around the living room. Wufei's eyes flicked back and forth between the EMF meter in his hand, and Quatre. Occasionally he would look towards Heero and call out a number, which Heero would repeat. Wufei had explained before they started that the EMF meter measured a specific range of radiation and was not used to look for leaks or problems like the Geiger counter, but was intended to read just the range that was consistent with confirmed sightings of paranormal phenomena. It also picked up radiation from wiring and other mundane things such as household appliances. It was reliable, even if the readings left the cause of the spikes up to the investigator to interpret. 

He watched as Quatre paused in the middle of the room, closing his eyes, a look of intense concentration on his face. "Happiness, love, anger, sadness, pain." Quatre's voice was low, with a hollow emotionless sound to it as if it was part of him and separate at the same time. He was silent for a moment; different emotions chasing across his face visibly illustrating the emotions he named earlier. 

Wufei lightly touched Quatre's arm, speaking softly as he did so. "Quatre." 

Quatre's eyes flickered open and he blinked slowly as if he was waking up. He smiled at Wufei and nodded, acknowledging him. "Thank you." Turning slightly, he looked into the camera and spoke. His voice the same clipped professional tone he used during the interviews. "There are residual emotions as would be expected since the building has been occupied since it was constructed. There are none that stand out as being stronger than any other. The room in general has the sense of a home with no malevolent energies." 

"Your boyfriend has some weird talents." 

"He's not my boyfriend." Trowa's eyes never left Quatre. A mixture of concern, curiosity and just a hint of skepticism on his face. 

"Not yet." Duo leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, mimicking Trowa. "I have complete faith in the guy. We both know you want him. Be a man and suck it up." 

Trowa snorted, his eyes shifting briefly to Duo and then back to Quatre. "I don't suck on the first date." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and once again he shifted his gaze to Duo. "Sucking is a privilege not a right and swallowing has to be earned." 

Duo laughed softly, shifting into a more comfortable position. "I'm going to talk to Heero tomorrow after they're done with this." He waved his hand in the direction of the living room. "I figure what the hell right? The worst thing that can happen is he says he's not interested and crushes my fragile ego." 

"For you. If he is I have to put up with you." Trowa's smile was affectionate as was the teasing tone of his voice. "One word about his eyes and I will kick your ass, repeatedly." 

"What about his smile?" 

Rolling his eyes, Trowa groaned. "No and I don't want any details about you tapping his ass either." 

"That's not going to be for a while." Duo paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "It's weird; I barely know the guy, but I feel a connection to him. It's not just that he's hot, because he is, but there's more than that. Who knows, maybe this is the big L." 

"You're going lesbian for him?"

Duo shook his head and punched Trowa lightly on the shoulder. "I almost pity Quatre having to deal with your sense of humor. Maybe it would be kinder just to put him out of his misery." 

Trowa pushed off from the wall, dropped his hands to his sides then shoved them in his pockets. "They're going to be gone in a few days. I think he'll survive that long." Without another word he shifted away from Duo, clearly stating the conversation was over. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Quatre took a deep breath, clearing his mind and centering himself on his sense of inner calm. He could feel the tiredness that went hand and hand with his ability, settling around the edges. Fortunately, this was the last room. Once they were done he could rest for a while, before tackling the rest of what he needed to do to conclude their investigation. While the investigations themselves could be exciting, they were accompanied by a lot of paper work, especially for the man in charge. In addition to his personal log and the formal report everyone would write up, he had equipment usage to sign off on, expenditures to look over, and team observations and evaluations that would require detailed interactions, complete with dates and times. 

Blowing out the breath he was holding and taking in another in a slow steady pattern, Quatre let himself relax and focus on the room around him. He closed his eyes, limiting the incoming sensations to his brain and pushing his senses past the here and now, stretching and reaching for more. Something brushed against his consciousness and he opened up more, offering himself as a conduit. 

/Loss, pain, shock/ 

The intensity hit him with the impact of running full tilt into a brick wall. Some small part of his brain registered hands holding and steadying him when his legs began to shake, threatening to drive him to his knees. A huge weight settled on his chest, forcing him to struggle for each breath. It was too much of a burden to bear; death would be a kindness, a release. Everything that gave his life meaning was gone, all in the flash of a moment. His ears heard a soft moan that seemed to come from a long distance, but did not register he was the source. 

/Loneliness, longing, need/

The initial shock of the pain eased, bringing with it a deep sadness. The weight on his chest and soul eased slightly and he took a deep breath then another, deep and slow, replenishing his oxygen starved body. A grief induced lethargy infused his limbs and he let himself lean heavily against whoever was supporting him. He was abandoned, left alone. How could he go on? Why would he want to? There was no point. No reason or purpose to his existence. He hurt and just wanted to be left alone to die. 

/Acceptance, resignation, determination/

The feelings of grief eased then receded and others rushed in to fill the void. An uneasy peace settled over him, bringing with it the knowledge he had no power to change the things he wanted to. On the heels of that was a desire to prove himself. There had to be a reason he was still here. He had a job to do, something of value to accomplish before he could leave this life. The sadness was still there, but pushed to the side by a need to move forward. He squared his shoulders and pulled himself upright. He could do this. He was strong and he would push forward and make something of himself and his life. Prove that he had done something of value with the time he was given. 

/Waiting, calm, peace/ 

Comfort with himself and who he was settled down around Quatre, and he breathed easily. Somehow he had passed through the trials set in front of him and done the best he could. He had lived his life well and accomplished the tasks he had set out to. His work was over and now he could rest. Soon. Very soon. He was ready to move on. His life's goals were accomplished and a well earned rest almost within his grasp. A harsh, raspy whisper escaped his lips even as a smile crossed them. "I did good." 

/Joy, happiness, love/ 

Quatre staggered, tears streaming down his cheeks. Finally! The fruition of all his years of waiting and working was here now. He was no longer alone and he could go. Really let go and move on. A sense of freedom and release washed over him, cleansing his mind and spirit. He was loved and wanted. Quatre reached out with one hand, lightly touching the glass of the window he stood next to. An ethereal smile graced his face. "Johnny" he whispered soft and low. Love and awe mixing in his voice as he spoke.

Warmth and light, peace with the world, peace with himself; and then it was gone, fading into non existence. Quatre shivered, suddenly chilled and empty as the outside world began to imprint itself on his senses. The glass was warm under his fingers and the air around him was chilly. He could hear voices; Heero and Relena plus two he felt he should know. Wufei was supporting him and calling his name; firmly, and Quatre focused on that, using it to ground himself in the moment. He smiled at his friend, still feeling weak and disoriented, but back and aware of his surroundings. 

Taking a deep breath, Quatre slowly shook his head clearing his mind of the vestigial emotions clinging to him. He was exhausted, but his heart was lighter than it had been in a long time. He shivered, rubbing his arms and moving closer to Wufei to warm himself. 

"What's your name?"

"Quatre Raberba Winner."

"Where are you?" 

"Tucson, Arizona." 

"What's the date?" 

"July 30th, 2006." 

"What do you want to do when you grow up?"

"I don't want to grow up."

Wufei nodded, relieved. "Okay. Let's get you to your room so you can lie down." He handed his EMF meter off to Trowa who had moved into the room and was standing watching Quatre intently. With both hands free, Wufei was able to support Quatre better, easing him towards the door. 

Resisting the urge to pull away and try to stand on his own, Quatre let himself be led from the room. His pride said he could walk unsupported, but his common sense over ruled it, backed up by the voice of experience. The first and only time he'd given into that urge, he'd taken two steps before falling flat on his face and bloodying his nose 

In his room, Quatre let Wufei lower him to the bed gratefully, letting go of the struggle to remain upright. His eyes slid closed and he didn't fight it. Registering as Wufei removed his shoes then pulled the covers up around him. 

"Get some sleep and I'll check on you later." 

Wufei's voice sounded faint as if from a long distance and Quatre nodded or at least thought he did. Trusting Wufei to understand, he let himself fall into a deep dreamless sleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Is he going to be okay? Quatre? Is he going to be okay?" Duo's question was aimed at Heero even though his eyes were following Quatre and Wufei's slow progress down the hall. He toyed with the EMF Meter that Trowa had shoved at him before disappearing, turning it over and over in his hands.. 

"After he rests, he should be." Heero sighed to himself. While he appreciated, and on some level admired Quatre for his ability and willingness to put himself through the emotional wringer, it wasn't easy to watch. He could remember with crystal clarity the first time that he'd seen Quatre acting as a sensitive. Their relationship had been less than a month old and both of them were already having serious doubts about its viability. 

Because the investigation required a weekend away, Quatre had invited Heero to come along and observe so he could see what it was they did. They found out later the farmhouse was the scene of a multiple murder. A young man who had never been particularly stable had been pushed over the edge by jealousy, and brutally killed his wife and children. Not surprisingly Quatre had reacted badly. 

After a long talk with Wufei and some soul searching later, the relationship was dissolved by mutual decision and Heero had signed on to learn the ways of an equipment tech. His computer skills had led to an expansion of his duties, but that had been a progression over the next few years. He loved Quatre like a brother, but there was no doubt in either one of their heads that they were not suited for each other romantically. 

"Should be?" Duo's voice cut into his thoughts and he nodded absently. 

"The more intense the emotions, the more it drains him." Noting the worried look on Duo's face, Heero smiled a little, wanting to reassure him. "I've seen him a lot worse and these weren't all negative judging from his response. I'll analyze the tape and we'll discuss it when he's rested." 

Duo shook his head, giving Heero his full attention. "Why the hell would you do that to yourself?" 

"I asked him the same thing the first time I saw him do an investigation." 

"What did he say?"

"Having a gift brings with it a responsibility to use it to the fullest potential possible." 

Blowing out a breath, Duo ran his hand through his bangs. "This whole thing has been a little freaky. I don't know what I expected, but this sure has hell wasn't it. You and Wufei know more about this place than I do and I own it. Okay, half of it, but still. We had it inspected before we bought it and they didn't do half the crap you guys did." 

"The letter said the investigation would be invasive." Heero's voice was flat though his eyes danced with amusement. 

"You guys make a full body cavity search seem like a handshake." He waved away Heero's chuckle. "Seriously. I mean Wufei was listening to the plumbing through the wall with a /stethoscope/ then tested all the electrical for shorts. Now, this stuff with Quatre. What the hell? It's just…" 

Heero put a hand on Duo's arm to stem the flow of words. "It's not uncommon for ghostly noises, cold spots and strange light patterns to be caused by environmental conditions. Noisy pipes, airflow around a loose fitting window, cracks in walls or the foundation, and wiring with intermittent surges can play tricks on the imagination. I've seen quite a few cases that, when fully investigated were nothing more then structural defects. It's our responsibility to rule out all those possibilities before looking for something of a less concrete nature." 

"And if you can't?" 

"Then we try to document and define what we observe to the best of the ability of our equipment and skills. Hopefully, what we learn will help others develop ways to better study and understand the exact nature of the phenomena." 

Duo frowned. "So you don't actually believe in this stuff? A science guy who has to see something to accept it exists?"

Heero sighed. Closing the camera and picking up the rest of his gear, he gestured for Duo to lead the way out of the room. "Do you know the difference between science and magic?" 

Duo shrugged. "I've never really thought about it much. What is your definition?" 

"About two hundred years worth of technology. The things we have and do now would seem like magic and witchcraft to someone who lived before electricity was harnessed. Two hundred years from now, ordinary life will be full of things we consider impossible at this point in time. Magic is science we don't understand." 

"Maybe." Duo considered Heero's words, toying with the end of his braid. "Doesn't magic require faith and belief?" 

"So does science." At Duo's skeptical look, Heero smiled. "When did you last see an atom? Watch electricity pass travel down a wire? See the words you type on your computer keyboard move through your computer to appear on the screen. Science requires its own leap of faith. We can see the results even if we don't see the process. The same is true of things we would call magic. We know they happen, just not how or why." 

Duo led the way into the kitchen, mulling over Heero's words as he poured two cups of coffee. "What does that make you? A skeptic or a believer?" 

"A skeptical believer. You know the famous line from Sherlock Holmes? 'When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' I consider that my operational guideline." 

"Holmes and Batman." Duo laughed, shaking his head. "Do all of your heroes have a sidekick and wear a cloak or a cape?" 

Heero considered, sipping his coffee. "Let me get back to you on that." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trowa knocked lightly on the door to Quatre's room. When there was no response, he carefully opened the door, planning to slip in and leave the tray for when Quatre woke ,. Quietly he moved around the bed and set it down on the desk, making sure to move the papers scattered across the surface to one side. Intentionally keeping his eyes averted to avoid looking at Quatre, he moved back towards the door, hoping to slip out undetected. 

The rustle of bed sheets and a soft sigh broke his resolve, concern overriding the need to get out of the room. He frowned, noting the paleness of Quatre's face and the sweat that dampened his hair so it stuck to him. Without thinking, Trowa stepped closer, brushing his hand across Quatre's forehead. Frowning when his fingers touched skin that was warm and clammy. He debated for a minute then pulled back the comforter, leaving Quatre covered with the sheet and a light blanket. 

There was another soft sigh and Quatre's eyes fluttered open. Trowa jerked his hand back, stepping away from the bed to put space between them. "You were hot. I thought you had a fever." 

Quatre smiled, tilted his head and yawned. His voice was soft and with just a bit of drowsy huskiness to it. "It drains my energy and I'm usually cold for a while after, so Wufei always piles on the blankets." 

"There's a tray on the desk. Whole grain toast lightly buttered and Chamomile tea with two sugars. Duo's making burgers if you feel like coming out to eat. I can bring you in one if you don't feel like getting up. There's macaroni salad and veggies to go with it." Trowa stopped abruptly, awareness dawning that he probably sounded like a babbling idiot. 

"Thank you. That was really nice of you to do that."

Trowa shrugged. "It was no problem. Wufei said that's what you usually have when you wake up and it was time for dinner so I was cooking anyway." He eased back towards the door, intentionally failing to mention his bike ride down to the nearest health food store for the specific type of bread and brand of tea Quatre preferred

Quatre stretched then slowly sat up. "I'm feeling a lot better. Just a little tired still, but that's normal." 

"You should eat something." Trowa hesitated for a moment then walked around the bed and picked up the tray. He turned and settled it over Quatre's lap. "I'll tell Duo to put a burger on for you. How do you like yours?" 

"Well done." 

"Easy on the onions?" 

Quatre swallowed his first drink of tea and smiled brightly. "Yes, please." 

"I'll come back and check on you in a few minutes. You can decide then if you want to eat here or there." 

Trowa was already out of the room before Quatre had a chance to reply. The edgy and protective feelings he was experiencing from seeing Quatre laying in bed made him feel extremely uncomfortable. He stopped in the dining room long enough to holler out the back door at Duo to add another burger, easy onions to the grill. 

Back in the kitchen, Trowa resumed his part of making dinner, slicing first tomato, then onion to top the burgers when they were finished. While his fingers went about the task they were assigned, his mind kept wandering down the hall, to Quatre. The truth was that it was pretty much where it had been since the blond had shown up three days ago. Not that Trowa was ready to admit it to himself, let alone anyone else. 

He'd worked hard to get his life the way he wanted it. School, the bed and breakfast and gymnastics took up most of his time. What little he had left, he was perfectly content to spend hanging out with Duo, kicking back and enjoying life. He didn't need or want anything more cluttering up his life. 

His foster parents were gone; having died within six months of each other about the time he started playing for The Sidewinders. Cathy was traveling, working with a circus and seeing the world while she was still young enough to enjoy it, or so she'd said. They got together whenever she was somewhere close enough for him to drive or catch the bus to. She wrote to him, letters full of the beautiful places she had seen and the people she'd met. Whenever she had a chance, she called to touch base and make sure her baby brother was getting along okay. 

Everything was falling into place the way he wanted it. Baseball had been a limited time career that would have most likely resulted in long term damage to his body. He'd never intended for it to be more than a springboard into something else. Once he'd realized how much of his job involved dealing with the media and charming the fans, he'd been even more convinced it was not what he wanted to do with his life. 

When the opportunity to go back to school had presented itself, he'd jumped at it. Gymnastics did not have the same endorsement contracts, but it was solitary and didn't have the same level of media coverage. They expected him to perform and do well for the team, which was something he had no problem doing, without the pressures of posing with fans or dealing with other players who were more focused on their personal glory than the team. 

All he wanted was a job that allowed him to use both his hands and his brains. At some point down the road when he and Duo sold The Hideout, he had plans to reinvest the money and use part of it to buy his own place. Maybe get a cat, like he'd had when he was a kid. People and relationships just complicated things and as he'd told Duo the day before; he didn't need or want any more complications in his life. 

The knife slipped slightly, nicking Trowa's finger and shattering his reverie. He winced as juice from the partially sliced onion made the cut sting. Swearing softly to himself he turned on the water in the sink and stuck his finger under it, letting it rinse the injury clean. If that wasn't a sign he needed to stay focused, nothing was. Tomorrow he had classes. Quatre and the rest of his team were scheduled to leave some time late afternoon on Tuesday, hopefully while Trowa was still at school. 

He could get through this. One blond distraction was not going to make him reconsider what he had planned for his life. No relationships, no one allowed to get close or disrupt the decisions he had made many years ago. He was happy with how things were and there was no reason to change them now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Quatre lay on his bed, eyes closed but not resting, the events of the day swirling around in his head. The emotional upheaval he had felt seemed to center on Johnny who ever that was. There'd been no anger, no hatred. He'd felt the energy and emotions left behind by violent men and this was not anything like that. It reminded him of what he'd felt in several places they had investigated in Maine. The wives of seafarers seen on the widows' walks waiting for husbands who would never come home. Some coming to accept the reality that they were widows and others choosing to spend their lives waiting for a ship that would never arrive. He'd been saddened at the time, and moved by the unwavering sense of loyalty that would drive someone to watch each ship that entered the harbor for years even though they were disappointed time and time again. 

The question that his mind kept coming back to was, why Trowa? None of their readings had indicated an active manifestation, pointing instead to residual energy left behind by someone who had experienced a major loss. Yet Trowa had seen the same man and heard the same voice in every room of the place. Quatre had briefly wondered if there was a possibility that Trowa had imagined things or made them up. It wouldn't be the first time Quatre had investigated something that turned out to be a bid for attention. The problem was that it ran contrary to everything he had seen about Trowa up to this point. The man seemed determined to avoid attention, not actively seek it out. 

If what Trowa was saying was true, and Quatre was willing to take him at his word at this point then what was going on? For that matter what was going on with the man himself? Quatre knew he hadn't imagined the way Trowa's hand had brushed his forehead or the concern he'd seen in Trowa's eyes. Yet at dinner, Trowa had sat on the other side of the table and barely said two words to him or anyone else. As soon as he had finished eating, he'd muttered something about studying then disappeared into his room for the rest of the evening. 

What Quatre wanted was another interview, either formally or not depending on Trowa's comfort level, to find out about his family. The only thing that made sense at this point was that they were dealing with an untrained sensitive. Frowning, he considered that possibility; it made a lot of sense, the more Quatre thought about it. People with heightened awareness were often uncomfortable in large groups or situations where they came in physical contact with a lot of other individuals. 

He'd have to corner Trowa either before or after school and talk to him. Trowa had been cooperative so far. But they hadn't really discussed anything personal. Quatre sighed, toying with the ways to work the discussion into a conversation, finally settling on the direct approach. Somehow he had the feeling that Trowa wouldn't appreciate anything less, and last thing he wanted to do was insult the man. 

Rolling over, he tugged on the pull chain of the lamp, turning it off. Tomorrow was another day and it promised to be a long one full of paperwork and follow up. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Relena sat cross-legged on the bed, brushing her hair in long steady strokes. It was a habit from her childhood and one of the ways she relaxed before bed. On the count of one hundred she set the brush down and used the elastic around her wrist to pull her hair up into a loose ponytail. Half kneeling and half crawling, she made her way across the bed to the far side where the desk Wufei was seated at was situated. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Are you coming to bed soon?" 

He took his glasses off and carefully set them on the papers he had been frowning at earlier. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes. "I need to work on my notes and observations, but nothing is making sense right now." Kissing his neck, she pushed on the back of his head gently so Wufei's head was hanging forward. She moved back a little and began to knead the muscles in his neck and shoulders. Feeling the tension start to ease under her careful ministrations, Relena smiled when Wufei made a sound that could have been mistaken for the purr of a contented cat. "I knew we brought you along for a reason." 

"Besides my good looks and charm?" 

Wufei laughed softly, leaning back into Relena's touch. "You have very talented hands. I must remember to tell Quatre to renew your contract and double your salary." 

"Nothing doubled is still nothing. Lucky for me, I have a rich sugar daddy who likes to spoil me rotten. Buy me things." 

"Oh?" Wufei leaned back so he could see her and arched an eyebrow. "Anyone I know?" 

"Yes, actually." Relena kissed the tip of his nose softly. "His name is Quatre Winner. He's very rich and very handsome. All the girls are chasing him." 

"All the girls are bound to be disappointed." The corner of Wufei's lips twitched as he tried not to laugh. "And what kind of things does Mr. Winner buy for you?" 

"Well, just recently he bought me a memory stick for my camera. And there was lunch the other day when we were out buying tape for Heero." She bent forward, her lips not quite brushing his ear. "He's a very nice man, but I prefer his assistant. He's even more handsome, strong and a wiz with an EMF Meter." 

"He sounds very efficient." 

"And sexy." Relena tugged lightly on the elastic in Wufei's hair, pulling it loose so it cascaded around his face. "Very sexy." 

Wufei stretched, moving from the chair to sit next to Relena on the bed. "I think I'm done with that for the night. I'll look at it again in the morning and hopefully it will make more sense then." 

"Did you want to check on Quatre before we go to bed? Make sure he's feeling okay?" 

"I did earlier when you were in the bathroom." 

"How is he? Still tired? He seemed quiet at dinner." 

"Feeling better. He called me Daddy and asked for a glass of water." Wufei shook his head and laughed. "He wanted to know if he could come sleep with us if he got lonely or had a nightmare." 

"What did you tell him?" 

"It's fine with me as long as he sleeps on your side of the bed and if I get groped in the night by anyone but you, he is going back to his own bed." 

Relena laughed, shaking her head. "Some days I wonder which one of you is the bigger kid." 

Wufei smirked then captured her lips. "Him. It's definitely him."


	6. Chapter 6

Monday 31st July 2006

_Location Information:  
Date: 30th July 2006   
Type: Bed and Breakfast  
Location Title: The Hideout   
City/State: Tucson, Arizona  
Investigation Times: 02:00 PM - 04:35 PM   
Status: Analysis _

_Weather Information:  
Sunrise: 5:38am   
Sunset: 7:23pm  
High Temperature: 99 F   
Low Temperature: 67 F  
Sky Condition: Partly Cloudy   
Wind: Calm  
Humidity: 33%   
Precipitation: 0%  
Lunar Phase: Waxing Crescent  
Solar X-Rays: Normal   
Geomagnetic Field: Quiet  
Pressure: 30.09 mmHg _

_Investigators Present:  
Heero Yuy  
Quatre Winner   
Chang Wufei   
Relena Dorlian_

_Observers present:  
Duo Maxwell   
Trowa Barton _

_Location History:  
The hideout is a six bedroom bed and breakfast in Tucson, Arizona. It was originally build as a single family dwelling and converted in July of 2004. The house was built in 1923 and is located in the Sam Hughes neighborhood near the University of Arizona. The structure was owned by a single family line until it was purchased by its current owners in January of 2004. There have been no signification additions or modifications to the building since it's original construction._

_Sightings:  
There have been reports of an elderly man seen by multiple witnesses in one of the bedrooms. In addition, one of the owners, Mr. Barton, has seen the same man in every room of the house. It has spoken to him and interacts in a way that suggests recognition. _

_Support documentation:  
Disc one – initial interviews with Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Barton.   
Disc two – Investigation of the main structure.  
Disc three – Investigation of the room the sightings occurred in.  
Disc four – Still photos of the main structure investigation   
Disc five – Still photos of the sightings room investigation   
Microcassette tape – Side one: the rest of the structure. Side two: the room with the sightings  
Electrical and plumbing check sheet. Internal and external   
Structural integrity check sheet. Internal and external.  
Geiger counter readings – Pre-investigation   
EMF Meter readings – Pre and concurrent investigation   
Environmental anomalies report   
Expenditures report.  
Methodology report   
Equipment check sheet. - Pre and post investigation._

_Investigator's Notes:  
Heero Yuy, equipment handler and video specialist._

_Initial interviews determined that in addition to the sightings in the room where all the others had occurred the co-owner of the house, Trowa Barton, had contact in the other rooms of the structure. Mr. Barton also stated that the entity spoke to him. See Disc 1, 36:20, for reference. As a result, the scope of the investigation was expanded to include all but the private rooms of the owners. An EVP was captured in the main room of the structure. See the microcassette tape, side one, 1:22, for reference._

_Plumbing and electrical were determined to have no leaks, surges or anomalies. See attached form for detailed methods and results. Checks with a Geiger counter and EMF Meter resulted in no measurable deviation from norm in all but the room in which the bulk of the sighting occurred. Variations in temperature were also within normal limits for the complete structure, despite a perceived cold spot that did have higher EMF reading in both the 50 and 60 MgH ranges._

_Additionally, the sensitive, Quatre Winner, reacted strongly to the perceived cold spot. See disc three, 21:08, for reference._

_Conclusions:_

_All readings appear to be indicative of residual energy, not an actual entity. However, that does not take into account Mr. Barton's sightings nor the EVP that was captured on the voice recorder. Preliminary scans of the photos and videotape indicate no anomalies but will require additional analysis._

Heero set his pen down and leaned back in the chair, frustrated. Something was not fitting together right. All the pieces were there, but it was like they were from two different puzzles that were similar in size and content, but just different enough to create a confused, disjointed picture when combined.

"Coffee?" 

Heero swiveled in his chair and smiled, grateful for the distraction. "I'd love some. Thank you." 

Duo stepped into the room, holding a large mug in front of him. "You guys have all been working so diligently this morning. I was beginning to worry. Who knew ghostbu…" He caught himself and grinned. "Paranormal Investigators had so much paper work to fill out?"

"The foundation has to account for our time and there was a considerable amount of data collected that needs to be sorted through. Preliminary analysis is done in the field before it is sent to the people who will break everything down and examine it further." 

"So how's it going? Wufei seems annoyed and Quatre's quiet. Relena's napping, but I guess she doesn't have to do all the stuff you guys do." 

"No, Relena's responsibility is strictly to take photos. She is not actually part of the team at this time." He paused, wondering if talking out what was bothering him might help. "Do you really want to know? How things are going?" Heero quirked an eyebrow and gestured for Duo to sit on the bed. He took a slow sip of his coffee then moved to sit next to him when Duo nodded to indicate he did. 

"In these types of investigations you have two kinds of situations. An active apparition, which can fall into several categories. Or residual energy. Residual energy or emotions are everywhere. It's what makes a house feel like home or cold. Everyone gives it off; the difference is the level of emotions or the power of the personality." He paused, letting Duo mull over his words before continuing. 

Duo nodded. "Gotcha. That makes sense so far." 

"The issue is residual energy is just that, residual. It is left from someone who is gone. It doesn't matter if the person is no longer in residence or has died and moved on. Quatre says it's like a well where emotions have pooled instead of water." 

Duo nodded. "Okay, that helps to make it understandable. Thanks" 

"You can have residual energy and active apparitions in the same place, but there has to be multiple people involved. When we were at Alcatraz, there were instances of both, but there was also a large population filled with strong emotions. Residual energy tended to pool in places like the isolation chamber where the same emotions were felt strongly over and over again." 

Again Duo nodded, indicating that he was following what Heero was saying. 

"What our equipment and Quatre's reaction indicate is that your guest room has residual energy from someone who has moved on. Quatre stated that someone who lived here suffered a major loss and what he felt was that person working through the process of grieving. He also felt very strongly that whoever it was had moved on. However, Trowa's description clearly points to an active apparition. One that is still attached to the structure and has not yet moved on. I considered the possibility that Trowa was not a credible witness, however the EVP we captured…"

Holding up a hand to stem the flow of words, Duo frowned. "EVP?" 

"Electronic voice print." Heero got up from the bed and crossed to his desk. Picking up a small voice recorder he popped in a tape and rewound it before pressing the play button. There was static and a crackle then the word Johnny could be clearly heard. 

"Play it again." Duo moved to stand next to Heero, listening carefully now that he knew what to expect. Again the voice came through the speakers, soft but clear; one that was definitely not any he had ever heard. Frowning, he returned to his seat on the bed. "That's just weird." 

Heero removed the tape and returned it to his desk along with the recorder. "At this point I would presume that the apparition and the residual energy are two separate instances, except Quatre also said the same name he was reading the room. There is nothing in the history of the house or its residents to point to who is being referred to. If there are multiple individuals involved there is usually some knowledge within the family at least of who might be involved,. The house is not that old and from the description both you and Trowa gave, whoever this is appears to have lived in the thirties or forties. Historically, in terms of families and recorded media, that is not that long ago." 

"It can't be the same person? Right? Because one is active and still roaming around and the other is just there in one spot and what's left over." 

"Exactly." Heero felt a twinge of pride that Duo was able to sort through all the information he'd presented and come to the sticking point. "Either we have two instances which is improbable given the lack of information, or one instance manifesting in two different ways which by definition is impossible." 

Duo leaned back on the bed and grinned. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy…" 

Heero grinned. "Hamlet." 

"You're not the only one who can quote the classics." Becoming serious again, Duo chewed on his lip, his face a mask of thoughtful contemplation. "Maybe the definition's wrong and this one of those things that falls into that magic category. Or maybe this guy isn't quite here, isn't quite gone. Like he's standing in the doorway, trying to decide which way to go. He's found a revolving door that lets him go back and forth?" 

"Quatre is adamant that what he felt made it clear the energy in the guestroom is that of someone who has moved on. While he is human and therefore fallible, he has been doing this for a long time and is aware of the difference between the two types of energy. When it comes to this type of situation I trust Quatre implicitly." 

"Maybe the guy came back for a visit? Checking up on the new neighbors and all that?" 

Sighing, Heero sat back down on the bed. "I don't know. I should, but I don't have a clue how to begin to classify this situation or what conclusions to draw." 

"Does this mean you guys need to stay longer? Or come back?" Duo's face was a mask of casual curiosity but Heero heard or hoped he heard a hint of something more in the words. 

"That's Quatre's decision. He's the team leader." Heero paused, mustering his courage. "Would that be a problem? If he wanted to do a secondary investigation and extend our time here longer?" 

"No. We have reservations for later in the year so it would depend on when he wanted to do it, but I don't see a problem. I'd like to see you guys again." Duo shifted a little closer to Heero and smiled. "I'd like to see /you/ again." 

Heero shifted to meet Duo half way. "I'd like that too. I've enjoyed having a chance to get to know you." Heero got up and walked over to his desk and picked up a small white card. When he sat back down it was noticeably closer to Duo then before. "My business card." He offered the card to Duo who took it with a grin. "My personal cell and email address are on the back. I was going to give it to you before we left in case you wanted to stay in touch. About the investigation or…" He let the words drift off as Duo's lips closed over his own. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Quatre glanced over at the clock from the team analysis and evaluation he was writing for the fifth time in as many minutes. It was now three thirty and Trowa had said he'd be back by three at the latest. With a sigh of resignation, Quatre set down his pen and stood. Maybe Trowa was home and he just hadn't heard him come down the hall. Pushing aside visuals of Trowa lying next to a crumpled bike he knew were an overreaction to the situation, Quatre left his room. Slowly he wandered through the house, making a cursory inspection of each room. 

The sound of machinery drew him to the backdoor and he slipped outside, staying in the shade of the porch overhang. Glancing around he realized that the sound he had heard was that of a lawnmower. One that was being pushed by a shirtless Trowa in cut off shorts and sneakers with no socks. Quatre leaned back against the wall not sure if the flush of heat he was feeling was from the afternoon sun that burned down on him or what he was seeing. 

When he'd told Wufei he wanted to see more of Trowa this wasn't what he'd meant. Or maybe it was. It was a bit hard to think with a mostly unclothed, sweaty Trowa right in front of him. The muscles in Trowa's back and legs bunched and relaxed as he moved, and Quatre could feel his willpower to pull his eyes away ebbing with each passing second. 

He turned with the intention of returning to his room or taking a long cold shower, and ran into Duo. Quatre swore to himself, hoping that his skin was already pink from the heat so the blush he could feel staining his cheeks wouldn't be visible. "I'm sorry." Careful to keep his distance, Quatre moved to go around Duo and back into the house. 

"No problem." Duo grinned. "Is there anything I can do for you? Some lemonade? Water? You look overheated." 

"No, thank you. I'm fine. I was just going to…" Quatre stopped, gathering his scattered wits. "I needed to speak to Trowa about something, but he's busy. I'll talk to him later." 

"He's due for a break anyway. Just a sec." Duo stepped to the side and raised two fingers to his lips. A piercing whistle made Trowa's head jerk up from where he was intently studying the grass in front of the mower. Trowa cut the motor on the mower, rolled it back a bit, then tilted it up, letting it fall with a thump so when he restarted it later the longer grass wouldn't tangle in the blades and make the mower more difficult to start. 

Trowa crossed the yard, pulling his shirt from where it hung out of his back pocket to wipe his face and neck. "What's up?" 

Quatre cringed inwardly at the annoyance in Trowa's tone and the way his eyes slipped past Quatre as if he wasn't even there. No smile or hint of interest that had been so evident up to this point. Quatre sighed to himself. After last night he really wasn't that surprised. Disappointed, yes but not surprised, not really. He must have mistaken Trowa's duties as a host as something more personal. 

In the back of his mind a little voice reminded him that Trowa had seen him working. That changed everything. Quatre had been through the gamut of reactions in the years since he'd begun working as a sensitive. Pity, skepticism, envy, disgust, fear, compassion, understanding, and admiration; he'd seen them all at one time or another on the faces of people who watched him work. He shouldn't have been surprised that Trowa would be no different. Yet he was, for some reason he couldn't put his finger on. 

More than that it hurt, deeply. Quatre had learned to dismiss the opinions of most people. It was one of the first things that Rashid had taught him. His value as a human being did not hinge on him being a sensitive; it was based solely on who he chose to be as a person. One was a gift granted to him that he had no control over, the other was something that only he could shape. 

"Quatre wanted to ask you something. I'll go get some ice water while you guys talk." Duo turned and disappeared before Quatre could stop him. 

"You needed something?" Trowa's voice was friendly, but not particularly warm. He crossed his arms over his chest, moving to lean against the picnic table maintaining physical distance between the two of them that said more than words could. 

"It can wait if you're busy." Quatre's tone was noncommittal. Professional and poised as it had been during the interviews two days earlier.

Trowa shrugged. "Now is as good a time as any." 

"Are you a sensitive and is there anyone in your family with sensitive or psychic abilities?" Trowa blinked and Quatre felt a measure of perverse pleasure in knocking him off balance. 

"No. Not that I'm aware of." 

"Is there someone you could contact?" Quatre wasn't about to let himself be swayed because Trowa chose to be less that forthcoming. "Someone who might have more information? An older relative perhaps?" 

"No." Trowa's tone indicated that he was finished with the conversation. He pushed away from the picnic table and started to walk towards the mower, back rigid. 

Quatre followed him, forcing his eyes away from Trowa's ass and up his tanned, muscular back to settle on his hair, something somewhat neutral that didn't make the blood in his body pool in a very uncomfortable place. "Is there someone /I/ can contact? Someone who might be more helpful?" He didn't mean the last comment, not really. Trowa had been extremely cooperative up to this point, but his sudden one eighty was getting under Quatre's skin more than he cared to admit. 

Trowa froze, his hands clenching into fists. When he spun to face Quatre the look of closed neutrality had been replaced with anger and suppressed pain. "There is /no one/. I don't know my parents, I don't even know my own name." He stepped closer to Quatre, his presence filling Quatre's personal space to an almost overwhelming level. "My sister and I were found in Reid Park Zoo. Cathy knew her name, but I was just brother. Is that clear enough or do you need me to spell it out for you?" 

"I'm sorry." Without thinking Quatre's hand went to Trowa's arm, squeezing lightly. "That must have been difficult." 

"I survived." Trowa turned and pulled viciously on the pull cord for the mower. "Unless you're one of my parents you have nothing to apologize for." He yanked on the cord a second time and the mower roared to life. Trowa moved it back in line with what had been previously cut and pushed forward, eyes glued to the task at hand, effectively dismissing Quatre and putting an end to the interview. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Here." Duo handed a frowning Quatre an open bottle of beer. "I think something stronger than water is in order." 

"Thank you." Quatre smiled gratefully then took a long pull on the bottle. He set the beer down with a sigh and wiped at his face.

"It's not your fault." Duo pulled out the chair across from Quatre and flopped down heavily. He had found Quatre standing in the yard watching Trowa mow and steered him into the dining room with a sigh and a shake of his head. "Tro can be a stubborn bastard when he wants to be. He likes you though, that's why he's being such an ass." 

Quatre choked, almost spitting beer on the table. "He /likes/ me? How the hell does he treat the people he doesn't like?" 

"He doesn't acknowledge they exist. You could populate the world with people that don't show up in his reality." 

"Well I guess it could be worse then." Quatre toyed with the label on his bottle. Sighing, he turned the bottle, studying the liquid inside. 

"It took me six months to get him to respond to me and then it was to try to beat the crap out of me. Bloodied my nose and blackened one of my eyes. He was pretty gentle with you. Considering you pushed him. Tro is really touchy about his family." 

"Understandably so." Quatre sighed again, remembering the anger and pain he'd seen on Trowa's face. "What happened?" 

"We were seven, both of us in foster care, and the law said we had to attend group therapy sessions once a week. To help us learn to socialize and deal with our issues." Duo snorted, "Mostly it was this one girl, Julie something; whining about how mistreated she was because her aunt who was fostering her wouldn't buy her all things she wanted. The only thing Tro would ever say was his name when we went around and introduced ourselves. The lady who ran the group would ask him a question and he'd just stare at her until she went onto someone else. I think he freaked her out." 

Quatre nodded." I can see why she would feel that way. He can be a bit intimidating." 

"Yeah. He was a weird kid. He doesn't have a lot of patience for what he considers stupid or a waste of his time. If she had taken the time to really talk to him she'd have seen a different person. Occasionally, if he felt what she asked him had some value, she might get a nod or a shrug, but it was rare." Duo paused and took another drink of his beer. "I was bored. Straight up, that was my original motivation. Sheer boredom. I started poking him. Making comments and anything else to get under his skin. I wanted to see if I could get him to react when she couldn't. One of those ha ha, I put one over on the teacher things." 

"What finally got to him?" 

"Cathy, his sister. She had a session of her own in a different room at the same time. They always put siblings in separate groups in case there was a problem between them and to keep one kid from speaking for the whole family. They would meet in the hallway afterwards and go home together." Duo paused, wincing as he remembered. "I told Tro I always wanted a sister and since I didn't have one of my own I was going to take his." 

"Shit." Quatre flinched. "I bet that went over badly."

"Yeah, not one of my brighter moments. He freaked. Took three guys to pull him off of me. That evening he and his foster parents showed up on Howard's doorstep. The first thing he ever said to me was 'I won't punch you again'. I figured that was as close to an apology as I was ever going to get. Howard made him come over every day after school for a month to work off the doctor bill. Somehow in that time we became friends." Duo shrugged. "I'm not sure when or how just that after his debt was paid he was still coming over every afternoon and hanging out. He's been a good friend, even if there are times I want to smack him upside the head." 

"Maybe you understood each other. Or maybe he felt he could trust you." 

"Yeah. Once I got to know him a little more I realized that he wasn't angry or antisocial, just scared. I got lucky and hit on the thing he was most afraid of. He's a good guy but stay clear of the left hook." 

Quatre laughed softly and finished off his beer. "Thanks, I'll remember that." 

"He does like you. I've seen the way he looks at you." 

"The same way you've been looking at Heero?" 

"The very same." Duo grinned. "Is this where you give me the lecture about not hurting your friend or you'll kick my ass?" 

"Heero's a big boy. I think he's capable of handling his own love life." Quatre tilted his head, studying Duo. "Besides, anyone who puts the soul into what he draws that you do has to be very perceptive about people." 

Duo blushed, but didn't bother to deny the truth of Quatre's statement. "Go talk to Tro, give him a chance." 

Quatre shook his head then rose to stand. "I'm not sure that would be fair. In light of what you've told me, telling him I'm interested then leaving tomorrow would probably be the worst thing I could do." He smiled sadly. "Thank you for the beer and the information. It's been very enlightening, but there is a stack of paperwork on my desk that is not going to do itself, however much I wish it would." 

Duo watched as Quatre left the room then rose to look out the window at Trowa who was mowing with a singled minded intensity that spoke of a desire to block out the world. "You belong together." Duo muttered to the empty room. "Both stubborn as hell." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner had been awkward, bordering on downright uncomfortable. On one side, Wufei had Heero and Duo who kept smiling at each other and he suspected were holding hands under the table. On the other Quatre and Trowa, who were keeping as much space between them as possible and shooting each other looks when they thought no one was looking. It was like being back in Middle School. Without the homework and unidentifiable cafeteria food. 

As soon as the meal was finished, Trowa, and then Quatre had excused himself, pleading school and paperwork. The lovebirds were sitting out on the back porch making eyes at each other and Wufei was staring at the report that was no further along than it had been when he got up that morning. Nothing made sense. The situation really called for at least a secondary investigation based on the anomalies encountered. But the thought of coming back to spend an additional week made him want to run quickly in the opposite direction. 

Quatre would do it though, that was what worried him. His sense of duty to his father and the foundation was stronger than any Wufei had ever seen. The loss of Quatre's mother had bound the two of them together tightly. Father and son on a joint mission to understand what happened after death. Wufei had always suspected that part of what drove both of them was a desire to not only understand, but to ease the pain of loss and nurture a hope for reunion at some time in the future. 

Wufei pushed away from the desk with a discontented sound and informed Relena, who was laying on the bed looking over prints, he was going for a walk. Heat still hung in the air, crushingly heavy, and came up off the sidewalk in waves, but he pushed the discomfort away, focusing on walking and clearing his mind. Without a destination in mind he set off in the direction of the main street, backtracking the route they had come in on. 

He turned onto the main road, idly noting that it was narrow, as streets in the older part of cities often were. Wufei crossed the street to walk where the sparse trees and rock wall offered shade from the sun that was slowly sinking below the level of the buildings. A group of students were tossing around a football in front of what appeared to be a dormitory, and here and there others were watching or studying, sprawled out on grass that was a sad mixture of green and brown. 

A sudden sense of homesickness washed over him, a longing for trees, grass, and water. The familiar sights and sounds of school, his school or the Zen garden at home that his mother carefully nurtured in one corner of their yard. He'd had been on the road since early June, moving from one place to another with minimal downtime to do anything, but prepare for the next stop. He was glad to have had the experience and wouldn't have even considered saying no, but the enjoyment of making new discoveries was beginning to wear off. Replaced by a desire to sleep in his bed. 

To his right, he spotted a side street with small shops on both sides of the road. On impulse he crossed again, turning to the right and wandering slowly as he gazed into the store windows. The merchandise on display was a mixture of University of Arizona logos and classic southwestern souvenirs. Postcards and miniature ceramic cactus were scattered across several windows, as were t-shirts, and sweats in shades of red and blue. At the end of the block was a small diner. It was sided with metal that caught the sun and reflected it off in blinding waves. 

Looking at the brightly colored ads on the windows, Wufei realized just how hot and thirsty he was. Checking first to make sure he had his wallet and money, he pushed through the door, shivering as the chilled air hit his skin. Along one wall was a counter with a row of stools in the style of an old fashioned fifties diner. Lining the other wall were booths with the occasional couple. The booth closest to the door was filled with a group of teenagers. 

The girl sitting closest to the wall was engaged in a heated conversation with the young man sitting across from her while the other two occupants of the booth watched, amused. The girl tilted her hair and Wufei caught a glimpse of electric blue as part of her hair fell forward across her face. Idly he wondered if it was the same girl that Heero had mentioned seeing, though this time there was no redhead with her if it was. 

His eyes slipped past the laughing kids and he scanned the room looking for a place to sit. The booth in the back had a single occupant. He was seated facing the wall; a textbook open on the table in front of him appeared to have most of his attention. The root beer float sitting off to the side had barely been touched, appearing to be more of an excuse to linger in the diner than a treat he actually desired. 

Coming to a decision, Wufei crossed the distance between them and slid into the booth. "I thought you were studying." 

"I am." Trowa didn't bother to look up from his book or do anything to indicate that Wufei's company would be welcome. 

Wufei pulled the plastic coated menu from the holder and flipped it open, perusing it with only minimal interest. "What's good here?"

"Everything." 

"What would you recommend?" 

Trowa shrugged. "The floats are good." 

"Thanks." Wufei closed the menu and replaced it. "I'll have one of those." He gestured for the waitress and ordered a root beer float, accepting the glass of water she offered gratefully, savoring the cool beverage as he waited for his order.

When his float arrived, Wufei sipped it slowly, enjoying the way the cold sweetness of the ice cream mixed with the rich flavor of the root beer. He watched Trowa steadily plowing through the reading assignment he was working on. Silent and apparently unaware or uncaring that he had company. Wufei's first thought was that Trowa had never learned manners, or social skills, but that didn't fit with what he had seen of the man prior. 

That meant the sudden change in attitude was deliberate. A calculated attempt to separate himself from the people around him, a coping mechanism that Wufei was well acquainted with. The question was why. Looking back at when the change began to occur, Wufei found himself drawing a conclusion he didn't like. He took another drink then pulled his straw free, using it to stab then move the slowly melting scoop of ice cream around the mug. "He's not a freak or a scam artist. What he does is real and scientifically verifiable." 

Trowa jerked, then froze, his eyes leaving the book for the first time since Wufei sat down. "I never said he was." 

"Not with words, no. You sure as hell implied it. You were eyeing him up and acting like you'd like to get cozy and now it's like he doesn't even exist." 

"What I do is my business." 

"Yes it is, but when it impacts Quatre it becomes mine also. We've been through a lot together. I've watched him struggle with controlling his gift and how people perceive him as a result. He doesn't need you to play games with his sense of self worth." 

"I wasn't playing with him." Trowa head came up and he directed a full force glare at Wufei, which Wufei met unflinchingly. 

"Then what the hell is the problem?

"It doesn't matter. It's mine, not his." 

Wufei snorted and stabbed his straw into the ice cream, sending it all the way through into the liquid it floated on, creating a hole that the root beer rushed to fill. "I've been on the other side of this conversation before. It's me, not you, always translates to it's you. I'm not stupid and neither is Quatre. He reads people better than anyone else I know." 

"I don't think he's a freak." Trowa shrugged. "I never thought that." He paused for a moment, staring past Wufei at the wall, an inner struggle visible on his face. When he spoke again it was so softly Wufei had to strain to hear him. "You can tell him. It's not his fault and I don't think he's a freak." 

"No. I'll be there for him because that's what friends do. That is my responsibility and one I take seriously." Wufei used his straw as a pointer, zeroing in on Trowa. "If it matters to you that he knows then /you/ need to tell him. Coming from me it will have no meaning." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was late when Trowa eased his way into the house, opting to let himself in through the back door, which was farther from the bedrooms. The place was quiet and there was no light showing from under any of the doors. He slipped through the house as quietly as possible, shutting the door to his room before turning on the light to avoid disturbing anyone. 

He'd spent the hours since running into Wufei wandering aimlessly around campus and thinking. No matter what angle he tried to look at things, he kept coming back to Wufei's statement about playing with Quatre's self worth and how his behavior had implied he thought Quatre was a freak. The thought that he had hurt Quatre or made him feel like less of a person left a dull ache in the pit of Trowa's stomach. No amount of dismissal or arguments that it was not his problem would make it go away. It just lay there, gnawing at him. 

Trowa wasn't the type to let guilt bother him. His personal philosophy had always been to live life by his own sense of right and wrong and so far that had served him just fine. He wasn't responsible for Quatre's problems or how Quatre chose to interpret the actions of the people around him. Better Quatre learn now that the only person who was going to value him was him. Everyone else was suspect and could turn on you without a moment's notice. 

That's not true, a little voice whispered his head. Cathy never has nor has Duo. The Bartons had been good to him, standing by him despite his repeated efforts to push them away. Maybe Duo was right and he had become cynical without even knowing it. /More cynical/, he thought, with a suppressed snort. 

Dropping his backpack onto the chair beside his bed, Trowa stripped down to his boxers. Switching off the light, he carefully navigated his way across the room and lay down. The darkness settled around him and he closed his eyes to shut it out. He let his mind drift, hoping to escape into sleep, but instead he went back to a conversation he'd had with Cathy years ago, not too long after he'd started high school and joined the baseball team. 

She'd been pleased, proud of him for joining a sport that required, in her words, him to actually talk to someone who wasn't her or Duo. He'd rolled his eyes, reminding her that he talked to people whenever it was necessary. But, unlike her, he didn't feel the need to go out of his way to do so, preferring to keep his own company, as he knew he could trust himself. 

The sadness on her face had surprised him and left him more than a little unsettled. She'd pulled him close, hugging him to her like she had when they were small. They'd sat like that for a few moments, neither one speaking, as she stroked his hair. When she finally let him go, there were tears in her eyes, but her voice had been clear. "Its okay to be careful, Tro. But at some point you need to let down your guard and really trust someone. You're going to miss out on one of the best parts of loving and being loved if you don't. Yes, you might get hurt, but it's worth the risk. Not everyone you love is going to leave you. Don't make it impossible for the ones who want to stay." 

At the time he'd reminded her that he had people he trusted; her, Duo, their foster parents and Howard. She shook her head, sighed, and hugged him. He'd dismissed the conversation, writing it off as Cathy mothering him, something she did well and often, but thinking about it had always left him feeling uneasy. He sighed, running his hand through his hair and holding his bangs up off his face. Dredging it up now was doing nothing to help his state of mind. 

Trowa rolled over and sat up. His thoughts were going around in circles and the chances of sleeping were pretty much hovering between slim and none. Maybe a hot shower would help relax him and get him in the right mindset to rest. According to the bedside clock he might still get five hours if he was lucky. 

The bathroom was tile was cool beneath his feet and he dropped his boxers in the hamper as he passed it, walking nude across the room to turn on the shower. The water was warm straight from the pipes and he adjusted it, adding cold and then hot, until he achieved a balance that was close to his preferred temperature. He stepped under the spray, closing the door behind him to create his own little world. 

Turning away from the showerhead he let the water pound on the muscles in his back and shoulders, beating away some of the tension. The steam from the shower filled the room quickly, giving everything beyond the glass door a hazy unclear look. Trowa shifted forward, changing the path of the water so it now hit his lower back and ass. Sighing as he lost himself in the sensation. 

"Johnny." 

Trowa's head came up with a start and he slid open the shower door, eyes scanning the room. He reached for the knobs, turning off the water then stepping out to shut the door behind him. Looking around the room again, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Frustrated and more than a little annoyed, he grabbed a towel and began to roughly dry his hair. 

"Johnny." 

This time the voice sounded as if it was right in front of him. Trowa yanked the towel away from his face and standing in front of him was the man he'd seen so many times before. The man tipped his hat and smiled, but this time instead of watching in silence, Trowa narrowed his eyes. "Trowa. I don't know who the hell Johnny is but he's not here. Go away and leave me alone. Everyone needs to fucking leave me alone." 

"Don't be alone." The voice was sad and so soft Trowa barely heard the words. "Trust him." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Trowa caught movement and he turned slightly. Another man, one he'd never seen before, stood there, one hand reaching towards the first apparition. A smile lit his face and he called out. "Come home." 

As Trowa watched they moved towards each other, merging together so it was impossible to see where one ended and the other began. Slowly the hazy shapes melded into a single spot of foggy light that dissipated into the moisture soaked air. Leaving a stunned and very unsettled Trowa in their wake.


	7. Chapter 7

Tuesday 1st August 2006

"Sorry about this, folks." Duo set a tray of bagels and several containers of cream cheese on the table. "My cook has gone AWOL this morning. I've got orange juice and I could probably manage scrambled eggs too if anyone wants them, but beyond that you're pretty much out of luck." 

"Bagels are fine. Thank you." Quatre reached for pumpernickel and began to spread vegetable cream cheese on it. Picking out most of the onions as he did so. "Did Trowa have an early class this morning?" He purposely kept his voice cheerful and light even though he could see the concern under Duo's bright smile. Obviously this was something he hadn't expected either. 

"No. I came out here this morning and he'd left a note that said he need to do something this morning and there was bagels and cream cheese in the fridge to feed you guys." Duo frowned. "He probably went down to the gym to play on the bars. That's what he usually does when he's got stuff on his mind." 

Wufei nodded. "Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress or confusion. I do martial arts, I find it helps me focus and center myself." 

Heero spread plain cream cheese on his blueberry bagel then cut it into four exact sections. "I've found that running or reconfiguring the parameters of the analysis software often helps." 

Relena took a small bite of her bagel and used the remainder to point at Heero. "You always were strange." She grinned when all the eyes at the table turned to her. Deliberately taking her time, she swallowed and took a slow drink of her orange juice. "I'm female. I buy ice cream, call up one of my friends and have a long talk about whatever is bothering me." 

"Don't walk in on one of those." Wufei shuddered and shared a look of mutual pain with Heero. "Especially if they're talking about you. It can be hazardous to your health." 

Nodding, Heero sipped his juice. "I would rather go through survival training again than do that." 

"If you hadn't told Dorothy that she made the creature from the black lagoon look like a fucking beauty contest winner Hilde wouldn't have punched you." Shaking her head, Relena turned her attention from Wufei to Heero. "You brought on the pudding incident yourself." 

"Pudding incident?" Duo's ears almost literally perked up, curiosity plain on his face. "Do tell and don't spare the details." 

"Yes, do." Quatre's grin mirrored Duo's and they exchanged an amused look.

"I really should start packing." 

Heero tried to stand, but Duo caught his arm and pulled him back into his chair. Grinning wider, he turned to Relena. "You were saying?" 

Relena leaned back in her chair, smirking at her now blushing cousin. "Well, as you probably know Heero is just a little bit protective of his family." 

Wufei snorted loudly, choking on his orange juice. "A little? He made me fill out a background check, including personal references, before we went out for the first time." 

Quatre laughed. "I remember that. I still have the letter I wrote." 

Duo's eyebrows disappeared into his bangs even as he gestured for Relena to continue. "I can't wait to hear the rest of this." 

"He and my brother Milliardo have never gotten along very well, but family is family right?" 

Around the table heads nodded, encouraging Relena to keep speaking. 

"His Senior year in high school, Heero and I were freshman. Mil started dating his wife, Lu, when she transferred in from across town. Heero took it upon himself to check her out and find out about her family and such. I've heard he even hacked the police computers to look for arrest records. " 

Heero blushed but refused to confirm or deny Relena's comment. "She was a new student and no one knew anything about her. It was a legitimate course of action." 

"Lu didn't agree. She found out and was seriously pissed about it. At lunch, she confronted Heero and told him exactly what she thought of what he'd been doing. She was ready to punch him by this time. What does he do? He hands her a background check and tells her to fill it out and return it to him if she wants to continue seeing Mil." 

Wufei cringed and shook his head. "Talk about taking your life in your hands. Lu is not someone I'd want pissed at me."

Relena nodded vigorously. "Oh, yeah, crossing Lu is a life limiting action. She picked the bowl of pudding up off Heero's lunch tray and dumped it over his head while informing him she'd date anyone she wanted to and he could take his background check and shove it where it would do him the most good. It was the funniest thing I ever saw. They've made up since then, but Heero won't sit next to her when we eat together." 

Laughter echoed around the room and Duo leaned over to give Heero a quick kiss to show there were no hard feelings. 

"She ruined the homework I was doing. I had to rewrite it and turn it in late for a reduced grade." The disgruntled tone of Heero's voice was in direct contast with the smile on his face. 

"So you got an A- instead of an A+?" Relena's face was a mask of mock horror. "The shame. However did you live with the disgrace?" 

Heero smirked and raised his glass in mock salute. "You're just jealous." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa dropped from the higher of the uneven parallel bars to the floor; sweat running down his face and soaking his t-shirt. He clapped his hands together, sending a cloud of chalk wafting down to coat his bare feet. Walking over to where the chalk was kept, he liberally recoated his hands. Pivoting on his toes, he turned and sized up the bar. Taking a deep breath, he sprinted forward to execute a perfect handspring mount. 

He moved through a front hip roll and into a cast handstand, his body finding its pace in the familiar moves. Gaining momentum, he jumped to grasp the upper bar, focusing completely on the routine he was working to perfect. His newly chalked hands gripped the bar firmly but allowed for slide as he moved through the required motions. His body responded; spinning, rolling and making love to the bars. 

This was his element, one of the few places where he felt comfortable and completely at ease. It didn't matter how many people might be in the stands; when he touched the bars it was just the two of them. No one, and nothing of the world, was allowed to intrude. 

His hand slipped and he compensated, shifting his weight as he moved into a flyaway to dismount. He landed solidly, feet together, hands in the air to form a Y. The gym echoed with the thud he'd made coming off the bars melting into silence, broken only by the sound of his breathing. Yet in the back of his mind he kept hearing the words from last night. "Don't be alone." 

Fuck that, he /wanted/ to be alone. He /liked/ being alone. No one to worry about, but himself. It wasn't like he was a hermit living in the woods. He could carry on an intelligent conversation and was capable of being a damn good host when he was working. He had Duo and Cathy; what the hell more did he need? 

They have their own lives, the little voice in the back of his mind kept at him, relentless. And he was happy for them. It would be better when they walked away and left him too. He swallowed and brushed his hair back from his face, knowing that he really didn't feel that way. It was just his defenses kicking in to protect him from admitting he was scared of losing the people he loved. 

He dropped to his knees on the mat, the ebbing anger taking with it his energy and desire to keep moving. Quatre's cold professional expression rose in his face along with Wufei's words." He doesn't need you to play games with his sense of self worth."

Rising shakily to his feet, Trowa crossed the gym and pulled his towel from the duffle he'd dumped by the door when he'd arrived earlier. Wufei was right. Trowa had let himself get lost in his own issues and hurt Quatre without meaning to. It had been tactless and unkind. 

It shouldn't matter he told himself; unaware he was glaring at the wall and knotting the towel in his fists. He didn't even know the guy. Why should he care if Quatre's feelings were hurt or he chose to misinterpret Trowa's actions? He wasn't like Duo; he couldn't fall for some guy he barely knew. It was insane. It was irrational. It was… He covered his face with his hands and moaned softly. Oh god, it was true. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

Wufei pulled a pair of socks out of the drawer and tossed them to Quatre. "When are we leaving?" 

"Right after dinner like we had planned. That will put the sun behind us. I'll take a nap when I finish this so I can take the first shift. We should be able to cover a good part of the distance before dawn and when we need to, break and consider the viability of driving with the sun in front of us." 

"What if Trowa's not back by then?" 

Quatre shrugged seemingly nonchalant, though Wufei noted the way Quatre didn't quite meet his eyes. "We have a schedule and a commitment. What Trowa does or doesn't do is not our concern. We have a commitment to be in New Mexico and I plan to meet that." 

"Don't you want to see him? To say good-bye? Maybe get his phone number? For follow up and such?" 

"His phone number is on the paperwork if I need it. Besides, Duo is our contact person. Any follow up that might be required will be handled by someone else, you know that. Our part is finished." He stopped, a sad smile on his face. "I have a feeling Heero will be keeping in touch. So, if we do need anything, he will be more than capable taking care of it. There is no need for me to maintain any type of communication with Trowa." 

Wufei shook his head and closed the drawer, moving down to the next one. "I'm not sure which one of you is more stubborn. We could do a poll and find out, though my money's on you." 

Quatre sat down heavily on the bed next to the suitcase he had been packing. "Please, Wufei, just drop it, okay? I was wrong about him being interested. It was my mistake and I'd rather not discuss it anymore." 

"No, not okay." Wufei dropped down to sit next to Quatre and crossed his arms over his chest. "How are you going to know if you don't talk to him?" 

"Why?" Quatre tugged on his bangs in frustration. "So he can tell me he's totally turned off by my abilities? You saw his reaction as well as I did. I'm not stupid and I really don't want to have it spelled out for me. I'd like to keep a few illusions." 

"You'll never know for sure that's the problem if you don't ask him. Don't make assumptions or put words in his mouth without giving the man a chance to explain himself. The issue could be completely unrelated." 

"I really have no desire to hear his explanation or know what the hell his problem is." 

Wufei raised an eyebrow and snorted, his voice low and deadly serious. "You can lie to yourself if you want, Quatre Raberba Winner, but don't even try it with me. I know you too damn well to buy your bullshit. Your feelings are hurt because Trowa did a major attitude change on you and you were falling for him. Now your pride won't let you go and talk to him." 

Quatre's eyes narrowed and his voice was frosty "Thank you so much for that dissertation on my character. Are you done now? Because I still have things I need to do before we leave." Quatre crossed his arms, mirroring Wufei's posture. 

"Actually now that you asked, there are a few other things I could mention, but what's the point? You listen now as well as you did when we were kids. Once you make up your mind there is no changing it; facts and logic be damned." 

"You're one to talk, Wufei. I remember when you refused to talk to Relena for a month because you were right and she owed you an apology." 

"I almost lost her because of it." Wufei sagged back against the headboard of the bed. "I was stupid and arrogant and almost made the biggest mistake of my life." He smiled sadly at Quatre, regret and pain etched in the lines on his face. "I would hate to see you make the same mistake." 

"I'm sorry." Quatre bit his lip and wrapped an arm around Wufei's shoulders. "I shouldn't have said that. I just…I hardly know him. Why does it hurt so badly? Why do I even care what some stranger thinks about me?" 

Wufei shrugged. "Everyone's a stranger until you get to know them. Whether that changes depends on the people involved. Some people you connect with from the beginning. It does matter, that's what counts. It will eat at you if you leave this unresolved. One way or another you need to speak to him and settle it in your mind." 

"When did you get so wise?" Quatre squeezed Wufei's shoulders before letting go. 

"Ancient cultural wisdom." 

Quatre snorted. "Try again." 

"Relena's rubbing off on me?" Wufei smirked. 

"Thanks for sharing. Did I need to know about your sex life?" 

Wufei's smirk grew. "Of course, since you don't have on of your own." 

"Thanks for that ego boost. You can leave any time now." Quatre pushed Wufei non-too gently towards the edge of the bed. "I need to finish packing so I can get some rest before we head out." 

Wufei sighed to himself. Part of him wanted to press Quatre, but the realist in him knew that it would be a waste of time. "Okay, I'm going. I still need to pack a few things myself." 

With an affectionate swipe at Quatre's head on the way past, Wufei let himself out of the room. He loved Quatre like a brother, but there were days when he would cheerfully choke the life out of him. The man had a stubborn streak a mile wide and when he made his mind up about something nothing short of God himself coming down from on high was going to make him change it. 

Wufei turned right out of Quatre's room, heading for the living area instead of his own room, not quite ready to concede defeat. Distracted, he wasn't even aware of Trowa until he almost ran into the man.

"You were right." 

Wufei quirked an eyebrow and smiled. It was good to know someone listened to him. He was beginning to get more than a little frustrated in the face of the repeated refusals to listen to logic. 

Trowa returned the smile, somewhat hesitantly. "I'm going to tell him now." Without another word he stepped around Wufei and walked down the hall towards Quatre's room. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You guys really have to leave today?" Duo sat on Heero's bed surrounded by duffle bags and an open suitcase. 

"Unfortunately, yes. We have an investigation to conduct in New Mexico before we head back home." 

Duo grinned, a hint of something under his cheerful demeanor. "No hitting on the guys at the next place." 

Heero carefully set the video camera he was holding into its protective case before coming to sit next to Duo. "I don't make a habit of hitting on anyone. You are an exception." 

"Promise?" 

"I promise." Heero picked up Duo's hand and entwined their fingers. "I'm hoping to come back and see you in a few weeks. If travel goes according to plan, there should be a week between the time we get back and the beginning of school. I wanted to talk to you before I made reservations." 

"That would be great." Duo leaned forward, his lips just brushing against Heero's. "Our first reservations aren't until mid September so I can take some time off and show you around. Do the tourist thing." 

"I'd like that." Smiling, Heero returned Duo's kiss, keeping their lips pressed together a little longer than before. "I rarely get to go out and see the sights." 

"I'll give you the guided tour. Maybe take a couple of day trips. Jerome is cool and Sedona's beautiful. Now is the time of year to go up there too. We could play on Slide Rock and go see the Grand Hotel. It was a hospital before they converted it into a hotel." 

Heero chuckled, amused. "We don't have to do it all in one visit. I plan to make more than one trip." 

"I hope so." Duo moved closer so he could rest his head on Heero's shoulder. "I'd like to come see you too. Let you show me around where you live and meet this famous Lu." 

"I think that can be arranged. Possibly in the spring when you're not so busy." 

"Yeah. Tro'll kill me if I leave him with a house full of people. " 

"Understandably so. Though I would still have to exact vengeance for you." 

"I'll have to tell him the next time he threatens to kick my ass for something." 

Brushing the hair off of Duo's face, Heero softly kissed his forehead. They sat quietly for a few moments enjoying the feeling of being close and the comfort in knowing words were not needed. Even though they had only known each other for a very short amount of time, both felt a connection neither had felt with anyone else. 

Duo reluctantly pulled away, squeezing Heero's hand. "I'll be right back. I need to get something." 

Frowning, Heero nodded, moving to stand so he could pack while Duo was gone. One duffle was double checked and set to the side on the floor when Duo returned, holding a piece of heavy drawing paper in his hand. He held out his hand, offering the paper to Heero wordlessly. Heero took it, noting the nervous smile and the way Duo was shifting from one foot to the other. On the paper was a pencil drawing of Heero and Quatre. Heero was staring off into the distance, an amused and affectionate smile on his lips. Quatre was leaning against him, his eyes half lidded as he fought sleep. 

"I hope you don't mind." Duo toyed with the end of his braid, his eyes firmly fixed on a spot on the wall. "You were sitting like that when we were watching the movie and I couldn't get it out of my head. I had to draw it." 

"It's beautiful." Heero traced the lines, his finger resting slightly above the paper to prevent smudging the graphite. "This must have taken a long time. Are you sure you want to give it to me?" 

"Yeah." Duo's gaze slid over shyly to meet Heero's. "I drew it for you so you would have it." 

"Thank you." Heero set the drawing down on his desk, carefully smoothing the edges. "Thank you. I'll treasure it." 

A slight blush colored Duo's cheeks and he rubbed his hands down his shorts to get rid of the sweat. "I'd like to draw you again some time. If you don't mind." 

Heero took Duo's hand in his, moving close enough to capture another kiss. "I'd like that." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I don't think you're a freak." 

Quatre arched an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching as he looked at the man leaning against the wall of his room. Everything about him, from the arms crossed over his chest to the way he maintained a physical distance, screamed defensive posture and yet he was the one who had made the move and come to Quatre, not the other way around. The contradictions made him almost impossible to read. 

"I'm glad." Quatre suppressed the urge to turn the statement into a question. Telling himself he shouldn't be angry with Trowa nor should he be as innately pleased as he was. This whole thing was his problem not Trowa's. 

Trowa sighed and ducked his head, his toe digging at the floor as if he was trying to create an avenue of escape. "I'm sorry if I made you think I did. I…" He paused, letting silence settle for a moment. "It was my problem not yours. I didn't think…" Again he paused, his fingers going to his bangs and tugging on them in frustration. "I just didn't think." 

"It's okay." Quatre's anger melted away in the face of such an obviously genuine apology, allowing the pleased feeling to spread and fill in the places left in its passing. Quatre tilted his head, trying to see past the shield of hair to Trowa's face. "I shouldn’t have assumed either." He laughed softly. "Its one of my sore spots and I tend to get defensive pretty quickly." 

Trowa nodded, his eyes slowly rising to meet Quatre's, a slight smile on his lips. "I do that too." 

Quatre chuckled, nodding his head. "You have a talent for understatement." 

"And omelets." 

"Yes!" Quatre's grin threatened to stretch across his face. "You owe me one from this morning. The bagels were good, but it wasn't the same without your cooking." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Without your company." 

Trowa flashed a quick smile. "I could make you one now. To make up for breakfast." 

"No, but thanks." 

The disappointment on Trowa's face made Quatre cringe, more so as he saw the mask descend to cover it. He rose from the bed and walked over to where Trowa was standing, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "I'd love one, but I 'm still full from lunch and couldn't do it justice." 

Trowa smiled, the mask melting away like an ice cube on a hot a sidewalk. "Maybe I can make you one next time. If you guys need to come back." 

"I'm going to hold you to that." Quatre gently moved Trowa's bangs to the side, holding them up out of the way so he could see Trowa's whole face. "Do you want us to come back?" 

"Yeah." His voice was so low Quatre could barely hear it. "If you want to." 

"I know Heero does; in fact I think he's already planning his next trip. Wufei and Relena both love to travel and Relena is fascinated by the missions and history of this area. I'm sure they'd both jump at the chance to come back and explore." 

Trowa nodded. "What about you? Do you want to come back?" 

"Only if you want me to. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or cause problems." 

"I want you to." Trowa sighed, leaning slightly into Quatre's touch. "That was the problem, I wanted you to." 

"Oh." Quatre grinned, unable to hide his happiness at Trowa's confession. "I don't think it’s a problem. More like an opportunity." 

Smiling, Trowa nodded. "I'm better with opportunities than problems. They're much easier to cope with." 

"You'll do good." Quatre leaned in lightly brushing Trowa's lips. "Better than good." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Monday, August 28th, 2006. Tucson International Airport. 

"I told you so." Duo leaned back against the wall mirroring Trowa's casual stance. 

Trowa's eyes didn't leave the walkway Quatre and Heero would be appearing on any minute. "Shut up, Duo." 

"I'm just saying I was right and you owe me. You'd be lost without me, buddy. 'Fess up, you need me." 

"I already agreed to letting you take time at Christmas when the place is going to be full. What more do you want from me?" Trowa sighed and shook his head. 

"Quatre's flying out to help you. Not like it's much of a sacrifice now is it? The two of you working side by side; it’s a picture of domestic bliss. It's enough to make the hopeless romantic in me tear up." Duo batted his eyes pretending to dab them with an imaginary handkerchief.

Trowa snorted and raised an eyebrow. "I fail to see where cooking and doing laundry has anything to do with romance. It's still working while you go play in the snow and make eyes at Heero over mugs of hot chocolate." 

"You hate the cold and I don't make eyes at Heero." 

Trowa snorted. "Sure, maybe in your dreams, lover boy, but in reality you make eyes at him." 

"You were just as bad as I was. I thought Wufei was going to gag at the way you and Quatre were cooing over each other before they left. He looked green." 

"I was not cooing." Trowa's voice raised slightly in indignation. "I don't coo!" 

Duo patted Trowa's shoulder in a show of false sympathy. "Right, tell it to someone who wasn't there. Maybe you'll get lucky and they might believe you. I saw it with my own eyes. You were cooing. Trowa Barton, 'Class A Romantic' in full bloom."

Trowa bumped Duo with his shoulder. "Keep talking and I'm going to tell Heero you drew a picture of him in his underwear and keep it in the drawer next to your bed." 

Duo's face took on a bright pink hue and he coughed. "How did you know about that?" 

"You're the one who asked me to get the hair bands for you. I was blissfully unaware until then." 

"What do you want?" Duo's sigh of resignation was belied by the grin on his face. "I know you want something." 

"Two things." Trowa held up a finger to mark each as he spoke. "One. Do not ever say that I coo again. Ever. One word and the deal is off. Two." He paused, moving away from the wall as he spotted two familiar figures heading towards them. "I want a matching drawing of Quatre." 

"Done." Duo trailed behind Trowa as they crossed the walkway heading towards their future.


End file.
